Kurt Hummel And The Year With All the E-mails
by A-Simple-Rainbow
Summary: Sequel to "Is It Weird?" Blaine and Kurt's first year as a couple, as hinted by the epilogue in IIW.
1. Chapter 1

**January – the month with the wow factor**

_**Sunday, 26**__**th**__** January, 2015 – 12:05**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Your loft walls are camel colored._

_That is all,_

_Blaine Anderson_

_Your future boyfriend_

_Day 1 – E-mail 1_

-x-

Kurt takes a deep breath and smooths over his shirt before he opens the loft door. A bouquet of flowers is instantly shoved into his face, and he tries slap it away.

"Hi!" Blaine's voice says from somewhere in front of him, and Kurt pushes the flowers a little bit down.

"Hey!" he smiles back, "These for me?"

"No." Blaine shakes his head very seriously, "It's for your downstairs neighbor. We can swing by on our way down, right?"

Kurt rolls his eyes and takes the flowers completely from Blaine, "Let me just put these in some water before we go."

"So…" Blaine starts, trailing after Kurt into the loft, "First date… exciting, huh?"

"I'm not telling you where we're going." Kurt calls over his shoulder, "You said you like surprises, quit being a killjoy."

"You know, it's our first date, I don't think you're supposed to be this mean to me."

"Oh, yeah, you're totally right, we should go, we still need to drop off the flowers for my neighbor."

"Touche." Blaine laughs as Kurt puts the only existing vase in the loft, now overflowing with flowers, on the dining table.

"We can go now." Kurt grins, picking up his coat on the way out.

In the elevator Blaine pulls him close by the edges of his coat and buttons it cheerfully, topping it off with a kiss to the nose that makes Kurt blush and duck his head.

When they get to the street Kurt offers his hand with a questioning smile and Blaine beams as he accepts it immediately.

When they ride the subway they choose to stand holding onto the pole, but letting their bodies sway into each other's personal space. And best of all, they have silent conversations about the many people surrounding them that have them in stitches by the time they're shuffling off the train.

"This is a high school…" Blaine frowns when Kurt turns towards its open gate.

"Ah, so you_ can_ read." Kurt teases, "There goes my super original first date."

Blaine fixes him with a half glare, before he follows Kurt inside, "So now, can I know why we're here?"

"Okay, so I may have put too much hype on this and now you'll be disappointed…" Kurt says, before they go through the front door. "A girl that used to be in glee club with me is part of this huge, amazing support group for LGBT kids I try to collaborate with sometimes, and she heard about this, and she told me, and I thought it would be a great thing to be a part of, and I thought you might like it too."

Blaine gives him an easy smile, "I'm sure I'll love it, but you still haven't told me much, beyond LGBT, and high school kids."

Kurt holds the door for Blaine and they step into a school hall filled with banners and signs reading the likes of "Sing with Lexi!", "Help Lexi", "Play your part for Lexi!"

"There's this girl, Lexie. She needs reassignment surgery, but her father bailed on them when she came out, and her mother just can't afford it. So the drama club decided to put on Rent and my friend directed it. The proceedings go towards funding her surgery."

"Oh!" Blaine breathes, his face breaking into a wide grin as he turns on the spot to take in the whole thing. Next to the table serving as a ticket office, there's another loaded with varied snacks, "This is the best!"

"Yeah? You like?"

"I love!" Blaine grins, pulling Kurt into his arms and then kissing him soundly on the mouth.

"I'll get the tickets, you get the snacks?"

"What do you want?" Blaine says as they start walking.

"Nothing too much, because I was still kind of hoping to have some late dinner after this." Kurt shoots him a smile before they part ways to wait in different lines.

Kurt pays for the tickets, before he goes to join Blaine, just as he emerges from the snack table with popcorn and two huge slices of chocolate cake, grinning. Kurt's jaw slackens immediately while Blaine just laughs to himself and continues towards the auditorium.

"Don't even…" Blaine says before Kurt can open his mouth to criticize his choices, "You know you'll still want to eat something after RENT – I've seen you eat junk food, mister, you don't get to pretend about that. Besides the cake looked delicious, and I kind of needed an excuse to spend more money on food."

Kurt deflates and immediately regrets drinking as much as he did on his Homecoming party, two nights ago, leading to him stuffing his face in pizza and adorable mini cupcakes. But it was the day after his return, and his first day as Blaine's official boyfriend, and his first time hanging out with all of them _and_ Blaine and he was significantly nervous. In hindsight, he has no idea what he was nervous about, that night was amazing and it still would have been without the alcohol abuse.

In hindsight he'll probably think he was stupid to be nervous about tonight, too. But for the moment all he can think is that it's the first time he's alone with Blaine for a relatively long stretch of time. So far, so perfect, but still Kurt's sure his heart won't stop speeding until he's alone back in the loft.

"Fair enough." He sighs, before, heart in his throat, he loops his arm around Blaine's, "You don't mind if we stop to say hi to my friend, do you? She's probably already inside."

"Not at all." Blaine shrugs, as they go inside the auditorium. It's not the best auditorium Kurt's ever seen – he'd go so far as to say even McKinley's was better – but the thought of this happening in a struggling school makes it all the more valuable.

He peruses the room, most of the seats still empty, seen as they got here a full half hour before the start. He finds Unique at the front talking to a group of people, "There she is!" he grins, "Unique Adams!" he calls, halfway towards her, and she turns, squeals and flails.

"Kurt Hummel!" she runs without even a glance back at the two people she was talking to, "You came!" she tackles him with a hug as soon as he's within reaching distance, "Oh dear! You even smell like Paris! It's delicious, let me live your life!"

Kurt laughs, "I can assure this is not what Paris smells like."

She beams, "I'm so sorry I didn't make it to your party, but you know how it is putting on these plays. The last few days are insanity, and every moment I wasn't here I was sleeping my anger off."

"Apology accepted. We'll just have to throw another party and have you come to that one, right?"

"Absolutely!"

"Hey, Unique, this Blaine, my boyfriend, Blaine, this is Unique, one of the best, most mind blowing voices and performers you'll ever meet."

"Oh my!" Blaine gasps, "In that case, I'm honored!"

Unique beams and shakes Blaine's hand before she turns to Kurt, "It's the brand new boyfriend?"

"Something like that."

"I see, I see." She nods, "And you're sure you don't want to switch lives?"

Kurt laughs and blushes, "Sorry…"

Unique rolls her eyes and scoffs, "Greedy bitch." To which Blaine sputters and Kurt cackles. "Anyway, boys, as fun as looking into your gorgeous faces is, duty calls. I gotta go make sure those kids haven't ruined my vision, yet! See you after, maybe! Tootles!"

They watch her leave until she's disappeared behind the curtain.

"Unique _Adams_…?" Blaine asks after a long silence.

"Yes!" Kurt gasps.

"Oh! So that's where I knew her from! Her name was all over the show choir blogs. She started in Vocal Adrenaline."

"And ended up with us." Kurt says triumphantly, "Let's find our seats."

"She was phenomenal, though."

"Yes, and the minute she switched teams _she _barely had a competition solo again, so you see…" Kurt sighs.

Blaine gives him a sympathetic smile, "I would've given you all the solos." He says leaning in to kiss Kurt on the cheek.

Kurt preens as he sits, "Flattery will get you everywhere."

Blaine just chuckles, and hands Kurt his chocolate cake. "Keep me company eating it now. It looks delicious, I don't want to split my attention between the stage and the cake." Kurt can't help snorting at that, and Blaine smiles sheepishly as he takes the first bite.

They eat their cake in silence, Kurt taking deliberately small bites and Blaine finishing his in five, which is when Kurt starts making appreciative noises and Blaine just rolls his eyes and pretends not to smile.

"So…" Kurt starts once his napkin is empty and his dabbed it over his lips, "Appreciate it fully?"

Blaine just nods, before he turns on his chair to face Kurt and announces, "So, I've gotta be honest here, that felt amazing."

"What? The cake, I mean, it was good-"

"No. You introducing me as your boyfriend."

"Oh…"

"I like it."

"Well, you are…"

"Absolutely." Blaine grins, "I don't know, ignore me… I just needed to get that off my chest." He laughs and shakes his head to himself as he turns back towards the still empty stage.

With a jolt to his heart Kurt does something that he's somehow failed to do tonight, as he takes Blaine's jaw into his hand, leans over and presses their lips together. They kiss gently and slowly for a while, until someone's shy cough pulls them out of it.

They look up to find a couple and two teenage kids. A red-faced woman mutters, "Terribly sorry, could you just let us squeeze through to those seats?"

"Oh!" They both fumble to get up, Kurt's bag falling off his lap to the floor. He hurries to catch it and as he stands back up and the family passes he glances towards Blaine, relieved to see him looking as flushed as he feels.

When they sit back down he takes Blaine's hand, and presses his face into his shoulder, trying to keep his laughter mostly quiet.


	2. Chapter 2

**February – the month with the distractions from studying**

_**Tuesday, 18**__**th**__** February, 2015 – 22:56**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__What do you mean you had to go study?_

_Boooo. Be less responsible._

_Also, you're not going to study at 23.00. We both know you're going to watch America's Next Top Model. Cheater._

_Blaine_

_Day 23 – E-mail 23_

-x-

Kurt's studying. He so is. He is most definitely studying. He can do this. He can study at his boyfriend's place, while said boyfriend makes dinner. He can totally do it.

"Kurt, you're staring at the kitchen again." Tina murmurs right next to his ear as she passes through to her bedroom.

He snaps his head back down to his notes and takes a deep breath. Get a grip, Hummel. Control yourself.

"_Outside there's a box car waiting, outside the family stew-ew-ew…!_"

Kurt throws his head back and groans, "Blaine!"

"_Out by the_-" Blaine takes out one ear-bud and glances up from where he's chopping vegetables, "Yes?"

"You're singing, you can't sing."

"I can't?" He pouts.

"It's distracting."

"Oh…! Okay." He shrugs, puts the ear-bud and then proceeds to chop the vegetables while dancing, although, granted, silently.

Kurt could tell him to stop dancing and he would (Kurt had agreed to come over on the strict terms that he be given appropriate conditions to study), but that would mean that Blaine would stop dancing. Instead, he watches wordlessly, as apparently the song changes and Blaine starts moving in slower, softer movements that could probably make Kurt's brain short-circuit if Blaine wasn't wearing a stupid naked woman apron, and holding a disproportionately big chopping knife.

Blaine finishes chopping the celery and then stares intently at the result, moving his head, and snapping the knife against his hand in tempo, before he seems to jolt awake and he shuffles to the fridge coming back with ham.

The result of opening the package is instantaneous. From her little cocoon of warmth by Kurt's feet on the couch, Pirate awakens and sprints her way to Blaine, meowing loudly and desperately.

Blaine grins widely, popping out an ear bug again, as she hops on the counter and he immediately grabs her and puts her down on the floor, "Meow." Blaine says in a warning tone.

Pirate meows back, and Blaine meows back as he gives her a piece of ham, and thus starts a conversation that Kurt is absolutely sure lasts about five minutes, while Blaine chops ham and bacon and Pirate circles his ankles, purring.

"Meow!"

Weird cat noises.

"Meow."

Weirder cat noises.

Immitating weird cat noises.

A normal, genuine meow.

"Meow!"

A really surprisingly loud meow.

"MEOW! Oh, shit, sorry, Kurt."

Purring noises.

Whispered, "Meow…"

Silence.

"Meow?"

Kurt is absolutely and irrevocably in love.


	3. Chapter 3

**March – The month with the end of the falling**

_**Saturday, 1**__**st**__** March, 2015 – 19:01**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Done falling._

_Blaine_

_Day 34 – E-mail 34_

-x-

"You have to come."

"No. I really don't."

"You absolutely _have_ to come."

"Why?"

"It's our last chance to ice-skate this year."

"It's so not." Kurt scoffs, going back to his tea and buttered toast., "They keep those rinks all year round in some places."

"But it's our last chance to do it season appropriately, without feeling like an idiot while skating in shorts and tank tops." Blaine insists stealing Kurt's coffee mug and sipping before wincing at the lack of sugar and going back to lean against the kitchen counter.

Kurt gives him a smug look before he rolls his eyes and says, "I'd never wear a tank top in public."

"Don't be a smartass right now. It's not attractive."

"I just don't see the point of going over there just to fall on my ass and look like an idiot, just because we're having the last cold days of the season." He sighs for the umpteenth time this morning, since Blaine showed up beckoning Kurt and Rachel to join them in their day of skating and imminent-last-day-of-winter fun.

"I won't let you fall!" Blaine whines reaching out a hand that Kurt ignores.

"I don't trust you to keep that promise, Blaine."

"I'm coming." Rachel chimes in from her 'bedroom', where she's getting dressed.

"Rachel's coming!" Blaine points out cheerfully, "And Tina, and Mike, and Wes, and Sam!"

"You think you're talking me into that, when really you're just giving me more reasons not to go."

"Ugh!" Blaine groans walking around to the couch and plopping down on it, "I don't understand why you have to be this way."

"Honestly, do you like making yourself look like an idiot?" Kurt points out as he gets up and starts piling his breakfast dishes on the sink.

"You're asking_ me_ that?" Blaine shoots back with a frown and a smirk.

"Right, of course… Dumb question."

"If you don't come today," Blaine starts with a smug, triumphant grin, "I'm going to have my birthday party at an ice rink." He announces, sitting straighter and victorious, "At the sleaziest one I can find."

Kurt blanches, "Don't even…"

"And I'd wear the Christmas outfit."

"You wouldn't."

"I so would."

"You would _not_."

"Remind me again who established his reputation in this relationship by keeping every single promise so far?" Blaine singsongs, as he stands up and walks over to Kurt, taking his hands and directing him towards his clothes.

"Why, why must you be this way?" Kurt whines, falling on top of his bed and pretending to whimper with sobs, while Blaine grins and starts pulling clothes off the rack and throwing them on top of Kurt's defeated body.

-x-

It's way, way past lunchtime when the group starts trickling out of the rink, exhausted and hungry, but flushed and happy. Surprisingly, Kurt isn't even the first, and they're still circling the rink – Rachel, Wes and Tina whooping whenever they pass by their new spot outside the ice – when the sudden movement of a passer by startles Kurt and undoes his painfully achieved balance, sending him straight to the ice, butt first.

He sighs deeply before he looks up at Blaine, whose ability to keep his laughter to himself is actually praiseworthy, "Okay, so I think we've destroyed my ego enough for today, don't you?"

Blaine grins and helps him up before he kisses his cheek, "Sure, I'm starving anyway." He signals Sam and Mike, who'd been having some sort of competition, and they eagerly agree to lunch.

The hotdog stand next to the rink doesn't have a vegan option for Rachel, so they agree to go find somewhere else, despite the way Sam keeps pretending to faint from how hungry he is. Mike keeps shoving him forward every time he does it, and Tina offers to slap him awake.

Once they're finally seated, groaning and moaning into their food, they can finally start talking about something else other than their rumbling stomachs.

"I'm surprised at your persuasive skills, Blaine." Rachel pipes up. Blaine grins and Kurt rolls his eyes.

"Why, thank you, Miss Berry."

"You're kidding, right?" Mike stares at Rachel like she's grown three heads, "You're talking about the same guy who completely commandeered the décor of our living room, all the while pretending we were all equally involved and invested in it."

"We were! It was a team effort!"

"Admit it. You're a manipulative little bitch." Tina shrugs, taking a bite of her burger.

"You_ love_ the way the apartment is decorated!"

"Yes, but they were all your ideas. You got every single thing you wanted." Tina insists.

Kurt can't do anything but bite his lip and try not to laugh too obviously, while Blaine balks and then turns to him, "Defend my honor, Kurt!", to which Kurt shakes his head and shrugs.

"You blackmailed me into this." He says, popping a fry into his mouth, "You're not getting anything from me today, _Honey-Bee_."

Blaine pouts at that, and Kurt just laughs and shakes his head.

"Whatever," Blaine shrugs finally, "it's not like I'm talking you into joining my army of evil minions. I talked you two into having a gorgeous living room, and I talked you into having fun today."

"Yes, Blaine, it was all for our own good." Kurt laughs, and Blaine sticks his tongue out, "You'd be the only truly beloved dictator in history."

"Tell me you didn't have fun. I dare you. Tell me you're not happy right now. Go on, I want to hear all about how I was wrong to talk you into this."

Kurt considers his options carefully, before he raises his chin and says, "One day you're going to talk me into something I'll hate, and on that day I'm going to throw this little speech of yours in your face."

"But today is not that day." Blaine insists with a smug smile, and Kurt can't do anything except roll his eyes and the table erupts into laughter.

"I will begrudgingly admit to having fun today." Kurt mumbles with a heavy sigh.

"I promise I won't hold it against you." Blaine chuckles, and Kurt gives in to a small, grudging smile, shaking his head and accepting easily when Blaine kisses his temple and then his cheek and then his lips.

"You complain about Cooper, but I think you unwittingly picked up a few of his tricks…" Kurt mumbles into the kiss.

"Survival of the fittest." Blaine shrugs and they kiss again, before turning back to their food.

They end up making a group day out of it, when it starts to rain they don't even think twice before they're filing into the (apparently 100% Blaine-decorated) Wonder-Apartment, as it's come to be known, for a movie marathon. Blaine makes a point out of not suggesting any movies and just sitting down on the couch, pulling out his phone and flicking through his Facebook feed, while everyone else spends half an hour arguing over it. Kurt knows_ he'll_ never win this debate (not without Blaine's pull, let's be honest), so he buries himself next to Blaine. Blaine's arms circle his shoulders tightly and pull him practically to his lap, putting his phone away.

"You're not upset, though, for real?" He mutters into Kurt's temple.

"What?"

"About the ice-skating thing… I didn't mean to force you into anything. I just really wanted to spend today with you and the rest of them doing something fun."

"Blaine," Kurt says slowly, pulling back a little so he could look into Blaine's eyes, "You really think I'd let you talk me into something I really, really, really didn't want to do?"

Blaine smiles and shakes his head.

"I promise, if you ever push too far, I will tell you."

"Okay."

"This wasn't even remotely far. This didn't even go past the front door." Kurt says before he kisses Blaine softly. "If you'd asked me to go to the Hobbit premiere and wait for hours in line…"

"China?" Blaine scrunches his nose adorably.

Kurt shakes his head, "Saturn."

Blaine lets out a laugh, but goes back to snuggling as the rest of the group finally decides on something and starts shuffling towards empty couch seats and stealing pillows to use for sitting on the floor.

It's really and predictably not a movie Kurt would've chosen to watch, so he absolutely doesn't mind all the times that Blaine starts kissing him, on his lips, cheeks, neck… Half of the time they're closer to making out than to watching the movie, but either no one notices or pretends not to – and it still amazes Kurt how comfortable he is in Blaine's arms, surrounded by his best friends.

Pirate comes over at some point and snuggles into Kurt's lap, purring loud enough to be heard over the sounds of explosions.

"What if I stole her?" Kurt whispers.

"You promised you wouldn't…" Blaine reminds him, moving his hand from Kurt's hair to Pirate's little body protectively.

"Okay…" He sighs, just as Blaine starts kissing his neck again, and Kurt could _purr_ at that.

"Just come over whenever you wanna see her."

Kurt smiles and holds back a moan at the way Blaine's tongue has started entering the equation. Instead, he blushes, and giggles and squirms a little away, to which Blaine pouts. Kurt just gives him a pointed look and says, "You know you're being mean, right now."

Blaine just smirks but doesn't push it anymore and they watch the rest of the first movie peacefully. Halfway through the second Kurt just rolls his eyes and turns back to him and murmurs, "I didn't mean you should stop altogether.", to which Blaine laughs riotously and everyone else turns to look at them.

Without batting an eye Blaine just smiles and says "Excuse me for a minute." Before standing up and going to his bedroom.

Kurt just squints at the bedroom door, left ajar, wondering if he's supposed to follow Blaine inside or something, when his phone pings. He's ready to see a text from Blaine there, telling him to come to his bedroom, when he notices it was an e-mail alert and not a text. Blaine comes back out, looking happy and a little jittery and making his way quickly over to Kurt, returning to their previous positions.

Kurt eyes him for a moment more before he opens his e-mail and sees that it is indeed from Blaine. He doesn't even need to open the e-mail, before his heart stops beating altogether reading the subject line.

He yanks his eyes away from it to look at Blaine, everything about his body is hot and over stimulated. Blaine's biting his lip, smiling nervously, and Kurt just pulls him in for a strong, careless kiss.

"Oh god…" he breathes as they pull apart, "Me too…! So, so done."

Blaine grins and kisses him again.

"Can I stay the night?" Kurt asks, hoping his words convey every ounce of meaning he needs them to.

"I… huh… yes! Yes, okay! Please." Blaine murmurs before he pulls him back in again. Finally everyone else seems to have had enough and a generalized coughing fit breaks out. Without letting himself overthink or second guess it, Kurt just stands up, grabs Blaine's wrist and pulls him to his bedroom.


	4. Chapter 4

**April – the month with the time to explore**

_**Saturday, 05**__**th**__** April, 2015 – 17:37**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Movie at 9pm_

_Don't be late!_

_This is the 69__th__ day/e-mail. I feel like the occasion should be celebrated tonight, if you get my drift._

_Love,_

_Bee. _

_Day 69 – E-mail 69_

-x-

"Please tell me I'm the first and only person you've celebrated sixty nine days of relationship with…" Kurt says, still panting slightly, still on his back, staring at the ceiling.

"I've been in relationships for longer than sixty nine days…" Blaine sounds like he might be frowning, but Kurt doesn't really have the energy to check.

He waves his hand dismissively, letting it land on Blaine upper thigh as they're still lying on opposite directions, "You know what I meant. Tell me it's the first time you noticed it was the sixty ninth day and made a thing out of it."

"Oh, yeah, definitely."

"Okay, I feel better about this then."

"What do you mean?" Blaine asks, propping himself up on his elbows so he can look at Kurt, who fights the immediate urge to cover his naked body.

"It feels less… tacky."

"Tacky?!" Blaine gasps.

"I don't know!", Kurt groans, rolling away from Blaine and burying his face in the puddle of sheets at the foot of the bed, "Ignore me."

"No…" he hears Blaine shuffling until there's a hand on his shoulder and Blaine's voice is right next to his ear, "You can't just say that and… not talk to me about it. What about tonight was tacky?"

"Nothing! I just…" Blaine starts pulling at the sheets until Kurt has nowhere to hide his burning face, "It _wasn't_ tacky."

"Nice try, mister." Blaine rolls his eyes.

"I… it wasn't, I just…" he sighs, groans and takes a deep breath, "Okay, so you need to remember you're talking to your boyfriend who, up until like a month ago was a blushing virgin, okay?"

Blaine smiles fondly and nods.

"It's just… when I was younger and I was trying to, _you know_,… and watch those videos… they would always do the… huh, sixty nine thing… and in my head I always just… associated it with porn. And porn_ is_ tacky."

"Ohh…"

"But this wasn't tacky!" Kurt insists, "No-not while we were doing it at least. It's just… when we finished and I was trying to wrap my head around it… So that's kind of… why I asked that… and it's stupid because I'm sure you've done this before, anyway, but I-"

"Kurt…" Blaine starts with the kind of worried expression that Kurt would very much like to see gone forever.

"Don't even ask that!"

"What?" Blaine frowns.

"Don't ask me if I was uncomfortable, or if… I wasn't ready, okay? I liked it, I really, really did. In the heat of the moment… and... I'm just being silly."

"I don't think it's silly. I know exactly what you mean." Blaine shrugs with an understanding smile, "For instance, I've never been able to enjoy the concept of a threesome. My mind immediately jumps to porn and things like that, and I'm not into, you know, the whole _spectacle_ of it, even though I did enjoy a little, hm, porn, sometimes, so… But I don't know, maybe if I did go through with a threesome I wouldn't hate it as much as I think I would." He shrugs, "I think… I don't know, you call it heat of the moment, I call it feelings, you know? I think ultimately it's about the person you're with. If you have a real connection then what does it matter if that's the kind of stuff they do in porn? You trust that person, you want that person, and at the end of the day, it just simply_ feels _good…" Blaine smiles and brushes a few stray hairs off Kurt's forehead "Look, I'm not saying we need to try everything, you know, but I don't think we should limit ourselves because something sounds or looks like it's tacky – as long as it's the two of us, how could it be, right?"

"No threesomes, though." Kurt says at once, stomach flaring up at the thought of adding anyone else but Blaine to his bed, "That's where I draw the line. No threesomes, ever. That's beyond tacky."

Blaine laughs, and nods, "Not really a problem for me."

Kurt just breathes and lays his head back down, forehead against the mattress, feeling as his cheeks progressively cool. Blaine has resumed to trailing fingertips up and down Kurt's back. Closing his eyes, Kurt turns his head towards Blaine, and whispers, "Am I too boring for you?"

"What?" Blaine's fingers still between Kurt's shoulder blades. Kurt opens his eyes to find Blaine frowning at him.

"In bed, I mean… am I boring you? With all these things I'm not ready to try for now… or maybe ever."

Blaine looks completely horrified at the thought and Kurt's chest unwinds considerably, "No!" he gasps, "What are you talking about? You're crazy. That's crazy talk, Kurt, stop it."

"Okay…"

"Listen… for what is worth, I've only been with… huh, three other people like that, okay? I'm not some sex connoisseur, okay? And sex is different with each person, I'm learning as much as you here, and I'm enjoying the process immensely."

"Okay." Kurt smiles, meaning it that little more.

"And sex has never felt the way it feels with you, even if it is just blowjobs and handjobs for now, Kurt. I am _happy_."

Kurt blushes and chuckles, "Okay."

"And I _love _you."

Kurt meets Blaine's eyes before he murmurs, "I love you, too."

"We have all the time in the world to explore each other, and ourselves, why would I want us to rush that?" Kurt closes his eyes at the feeling of Blaine's fingers carding through his hair, cupping the back of his head before they kiss, soft and unassuming.

"If there's anyone I want to try everything with, it's you." Kurt tells him with another kiss, and Blaine gives him one of his mesmerizing, bright grins.

"But not threesomes." Blaine smirks.

"No, definitely not." Kurt sighs with another chuckle, "It just… Sex is about love for me – no matter what we're doing, even if we're trying… weird stuff – whatever that might be; I'll try those things, mostly anything, but I'll do it because it's with you and I trust and love you. And I don't love anybody else like I do you."

"And I feel the same…" Blaine says soothingly, "So, you know, that's one thing that maybe doesn't make much sense for us to try. However, there are thousand other possibilities out there, and _none_ of them is boring."

Kurt grins, "And we've got all the time in the world to work up to and through them?"

"That's right."

"Why, Mr. Anderson, that doesn't mean we should be complacent and take too much time, does it?"

Blaine gives Kurt a long, lustful, amused look before he sighs and leans in close enough to mingle their breaths and brush their lips, "Dedication to the cause… I'm all for it."

_**Disclaimer: both of their opinions on porn and "tackiness" are not necessarily shared by me. :P**_


	5. Chapter 5

**May – the month with the first big fight**

_**Saturday, 17**__**th**__** May, 2015 – 06:37**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__I don't even know._

_Hey Kurt._

_I don't think I did anything to deserve the way you treated me last night. If I did, tell me what so I can try to be better about it. But even if I'd done anything wrong nothing justifies what happened. Nothing. You can't talk to me like that ever again._

_I understand that you're stressed and under a lot of pressure, and I like that I'm a safe place for you, and that you feel like you can vent with me. But venting is one thing and projecting/letting out all your frustrations on me is another entirely different. I love you, but I need you to remember that I'm not your punching bag just because I'm here, I'm close and I won't just walk away._

_I can't sleep._

_Get back to me when you're feeling better. No hard feelings._

_I love you,_

_Blaine._

_Day 111 – E-mail 111_

-x-

It all starts with a broken lamp.

No. Actually, it starts way before that. It all starts with a jealous, insecure professor. It all starts because these people somehow hate it when students show more promise and more talent in their little fingers than they have in their whole bodies – it starts because they like to accuse those students of cheating, and threaten to kick them out of the program.

Texts exchanged between Kurt and Blaine on the morning of May 16th, Friday:

_Blaine: Shit. I'm so sorry Kurt. I hope that man gets hit over the head with a bus, and remains comatose for the rest of the semester._

_Kurt: And here I was supposed to be the vindictive, horrible, eye-for-an-eye person…_

_Blaine: Are you okay, though?_

_Kurt: Obviously not._

_Blaine: So, let's skip the date. We don't need to go to some stupid fancy restaurant and make small talk with them. I'll tell Wes about it, he'll understand._

_Blaine: We can just stay in tonight. I'll buy you Ben & Jerrys and I won't even point out that you've eaten more than half when you inevitably balk at the fact that we finished the whole thing._

_Blaine: Or I could just stay here and let you have a night alone. A you-night._

_Blaine: Whatever you need. Whatever you want._

_Kurt: Don't cancel the date. Come on, I'm not a kid. I can handle a stupid professor and not let it ruin my plans. I want to meet Wes' girlfriend. It'll help me get my mind off things._

_Blaine: You're sure?_

_Kurt: I'm sure._

_Blaine: E-mail of the day sent with a link to the most amazing collection of cute cat videos you'll ever find. Feel better._

In hindsight. In hindsight Kurt should've been honest with himself and Blaine. The last thing he needed that day was sitting in a restaurant with some girl he never met, making small talk and trying to be nice and happy.

But he wasn't, and they had dinner with Wes and April, and Kurt somehow managed not to monopolize the conversation with all the hundred and three ways he'd envisioned killing his professor. He mentions it in passing and Blaine gives him a worried glance, but he manages to be his perky self throughout the whole thing.

If he's a little more silent afterwards, while Blaine's walking him to the loft, it's probably to be expected anyway.

"You should probably stay over." He says, a little more matter-of-factly than he meant it (or maybe not), "It's late, and I don't like the idea of you going back to your place at this hour."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Of course."

"Okay, then."

In hindsight, he should've just insisted Blaine take a cab instead of the subway and leave it at that.

"You should just take a hot shower and go to bed, Kurt." Blaine says once they're in the loft taking out their jackets.

"I don't think I can go to sleep, Blaine." Kurt says tiredly, before he just drops on the couch and reaches for his laptop on the coffee table.

Blaine stands awkwardly for a moment more before he sits next to Kurt, not really looking anywhere in particular. Kurt wants to roll his eyes and tell him he's really not looking to entertain tonight, but instead he says, "I'm just checking my e-mail to see if there's any developments."

Blaine nods, "Sure.", he says, clearly knowing better than to point out Kurt has a smart-phone that alerts him to each new e-mail as it comes. As the inbox loads, he observes as Blaine carefully takes his shoes off and then pulls his feet up, crossing his legs into a pretzel. It makes him smile a little; Blaine always looks adorable like that.

It's no surprise when it turns out he has zero new mails. He shuts his laptop a little too hard and Blaine startles, "Hey…"

"Just…"

"I know." Blaine says softly, reaching out and taking Kurt's hand into his, "Where's Rachel?"

"I dunno… at a friend's place… running lines. She usually is if she's not home by now. I think they're dating but she won't fess up."

"Oh…" Blaine doesn't comment further even though he definitely looks like he has something to say, and for some reason that irks Kurt.

"What?"

"Nothing." Blaine shrugs, but Kurt quirks his eyebrow – and not in the teasing sort of sexy way he usually does, "I just… If my best friend was having a shit day, I'd want to be there… That's all."

"She_ is_ there."

Blaine nods at once, "If you say so."

"She is! She's not here right now, but she's just a phone call away."

"I know, jeez, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Right. You don't see me judging your friendships." Kurt snaps. And then it's back to a strange, awkward silence, where, from the corner of his eye, he can see Blaine's head is down and he's biting his lip and staring at his hands. A twinge of regret washes over Kurt, but he can't bring himself to apologize. He goes with the next best thing, "You can go to sleep. You don't have to keep me company or anything."

"Oh, I… I'm… No, I'm okay."

"Right."

When the silence returns, Kurt can't take it. "I just… They should have said something by now, right?"

"Kurt, it's practically midnight, I don't think you should be obsessing-"

"What do you want me to do? Worst case scenario they kick me out!"

"They'd never!" Blaine rolls his eyes but keeps his tone soft and comforting, "They'd never truly believe you'd cheat on your essay. Come on, you're the best student in class, who would you cheat off?! That guy? They know he was the one cheating off_ your_ essay, not the other way around. They're probably just trying to figure out how they're going to work around this without having to fire your professor for preposterous and over the top accusations."

"I wish they would. He's good for nothing."

"It's going to be okay."

"You don't know that." Kurt groans, "I should just write them an e-mail. Right? Tell them everything, from my point of view. At the meeting I was so blindsided I barely had a chance to defend myself."

"Kurt, I think it's a bad idea to do that right now. You need to calm down, and maybe do it tomorrow. After lunch. After you've had some time to think about it and you can think a little clearer. You don't want to send them a jumbled mess of an e-mail, do you?"

"I _can't_ calm down, don't you get it?" Kurt snaps, his voice a little louder than he meant to.

Blaine looks taken aback, some of the softness in his expression disappearing, before he says, "Just put it on the backburner, okay? Distract yourself with something. Anything."

"I'm not having _sex _right now, Blaine."

"Jesus, Kurt, that's not what I meant. Watch a movie or whatever."

"I…" Kurt can't make any word come out of his mouth, cheeks burning with shame at his stupid, thoughtless mouth.

Blaine sighs, and gives him an tired smile, "We've got two seasons left of Will & Grace, do you want to watch some of that? I'm sure we could get through a lot of episodes tonight."

Kurt almost says yes, just so they can stop talking and he won't say anything else he'll regret, but he shakes his head (in hindsight…), "No… I'm really not in the mood for anything right now. I just kind of… want to murder someone."

Blaine raises his eyebrows and gives him a rueful smile, "That's intense."

"Yeah."

"Would comfort food help, maybe?"

Kurt wrinkles his nose, though it probably would. "We_ just_ had dinner."

"So? That was like an hour and a half ago…"

"God, just stop it, I don't need you to go make me any food, okay?"

"I… okay…" Blaine just frowns, and bites his lip, and looks at his hands, and hangs his head, and it's all of his nervous tics at once, "I just… do you want me to go home, Kurt? Maybe I should just go home."

"No. I told you. It's late and this isn't a nice neighborhood."

Blaine looks like he might want to say something, but instead he deflates and shakes his head with a sigh, "Okay. What about some tea before bed? Would that be okay?"

"Yes." Kurt shrugs, pulling his laptop back to him while Blaine goes to the kitchen area. Over his laptop Kurt can see the way Blaine's body looks tense as he moves, his hands maybe even shaking a little as he pulls tea bags out of the box and inspects their labels. Still on edge and feeling only slightly less claustrophobic, he turns back to his laptop and opens his e-mail again. Still nothing. He glares at it, willing for something to come, even though it's practically midnight.

He barely notices when Blaine comes back holding out a steaming mug for him. He takes it, absently sipping it without even checking the temperature and promptly burns his tongue, "Fuck!" he gasps, causing Blaine, who was turning back to get his own mug, to hurry back and trip over the living room lamp cord, sending it crashing to the floor.

Barely careful not to spill any tea on his laptop, Kurt shoves it aside and stands to see his favorite vintage lamp completely shattered.

"What the fuck's wrong with you?!" Kurt gasps, "Watch where you're going! God dammit!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't-"

"You didn't think! Would it have been so hard to warn me that the tea was boiling hot?!"

"It's_ tea_, Kurt." Blaine frowns, half confused, half affronted.

"I_ hate _chamomile tea!"

"It's supposed to be calmin-"

"Do I look calm to you right now? No, because you just broke my favorite lamp, which actually cost a fortune! And I burnt my tongue, and everything's falling to shit right now, and I can't stand this fucking day anymore! I just need everything to go away, and I need you to just _stop_! I can't handle you with your fucking sensible advice and your big puppy eyes guilt-tripping me, and throwing the fact that Rachel's a shitty friend in my face right now, and just… just everything, okay, I can't!"

"_Kurt._" Blaine's tone is a warning and a plea at the same time.

"Just shut up, okay? Shut the fuck up! I don't want to relax, I don't want to watch Will and fucking Grace, I don't want you to make me pancakes or cake or tea or whatever right after we_ just_ had dinner – I thought you were supposed to be the one with the anorexia thing, anyway."

That, apparently, is the breaking point. Kurt sees it, clear as day. The way Blaine's face becomes a complete picture of hurt.

Without another word, Blaine just puts his mug on the coffee table, grabs his wallet and phone and leaves – not even remembering to take his coat.

And Kurt doesn't go after him.

Instead he just sits on the couch, his body completely numb with the knowledge that he just screwed up in the biggest way he possibly ever has.

He doesn't know if it's five minutes or an hour until he moves again, grabbing the stupid tea mug and sending it flying across the room, crashing against the door. "Fuck!" With that the tears and the sobs he's been fighting all day come. And, fuck, why couldn't he have done this when Blaine was still here to hold him?

It doesn't stop for a long time, and it doesn't get better even when the crying does stop. His stomach still feels like lead, his chest feels heavy and compressed. He can never get a good enough breath.

Hours later, he hears the ping of a new e-mail and he knows it's the one he wants to read the least. He's afraid of what might be there.

He's practically heaving with a panic attack by the time he reads the phrase "_I love you_" and just buries his face in his hands and lets whatever small comfort and relief wash over him.

Before he can think about it, he grabs his wallet, phone, keys, both their jackets and sprints out the door. Hailing a cab at seven am is trickier than he thought it would be, but he manages to be on Blaine's door in half an hour. Not letting himself hesitate he rings the bell.

Waiting for someone to answer the door is agonizing.

It opens slowly, and Blaine leans against his frame, looking exhausted, "Kurt…" he doesn't smile.

"I am_ so_ sorry."

"I know."

"I was sorry the second I said it."

"I know."

From inside the house another door opens and over Blaine's shoulder he can see a bleary eyed Tina poking her head out and frowning, "Who is it? Oh, hi Kurt…"

"Hi."

"Is everything okay?" She gets out through a yawn.

"Yeah, go back to sleep, Tina." Blaine says gently, and she does, "Come in." he tells Kurt, taking his hand and pulling him inside.

They go to Blaine's bedroom and close the door. Kurt sits on the edge of the bed and covers his face with his hands.

"Kurt…"

"I can't believe I said those things…!"

"You didn't mean them." Through the cracks of his fingers he can see Blaine sitting down on the floor, in front of him, his back against the wall and his knees up to his chest, "I know you didn't mean any of it."

"I didn't." Kurt shakes his head, letting his hands fall, so he could look at Blaine properly, "I really didn't, but I still said them and I was horrible."

"Hey… it's okay. Just don't do it again."

"Blaine…"

"Listen, I've heard worse." Blaine tells him with a tired smile, reaching out to squeeze his knee, "You got nothing on my grandma, babe."

Kurt just closes his eyes and cries harder.

"Hey, shh, hey…" Blaine scrambles to sit next to him and wrap his arms around Kurt, "Listen, you don't have to say anything, okay? I know why you freaked, and I know you never meant to say those things… I know, that, okay?"

Kurt nods, but he can't stop feeling horrible, "You should be so pissed at me, right now…"

"Do you want me to be pissed?"

"No…" He says at once, "Yes… I… I don't know. I don't want you to let me off the hook. I don't want to be another one of your shit boyfriends."

"I'm not letting you off the hook, Kurt. I told you, you can't ever talk to me like that again… but this was just… you know, a stupid fight. Probably the stupidest I've ever had. I guess I should've insisted to go home, you know? I should have just accepted the fact that I didn't have the first clue about helping you through it and given up while it was still mostly okay… Not let it get to the point of suffocating you… I should've known better."

"I keep replaying it in my head, and it's just… I'm so angry at myself."

"Would it be terrible if I said you should just stop thinking about it?"

Kurt lets himself chuckle at that before he just shakes his head and shrugs, "I'm not sure I can."

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do." Blaine announces, sliding off his bed into the floor, "We're gonna lie on this floor here."

"Blaine?"

"Just trust me and do it, okay?"

"Fine." Kurt nods and moves to lie next to Blaine.

"Put your legs up on the bed and press your butt to – yeah, like that." Blaine tells him, waiting until they're completely parallel, next to each other, with the back of their thighs pressed against the bed's frame, legs bent at knees, calves resting on the bed, "Now we're going to practice our breathing. Do you know how to breathe?"

"What?"

"I mean correctly. Correct breathing, using both your chest and your abdomen. Okay, just take a deep breath, filling your chest up first, and then letting it expand into your stomach. Yeah, exactly like that. That's all you got?"

Kurt nods.

"Okay, so now start breathing out, stomach first and chest last. Don't breathe back in until every single molecule of oxygen is out." Blaine's voice is calm and soothing, "Breathe in, and breathe out… In… out…. Don't think about anything else, just focus on your breathing and the movement it makes, close your eyes, and visualize the air coming in and then going out, and taking all the bad stuff with it… okay… just keep going."

Kurt doesn't know how long he's been doing it when Blaine's voice sounds again, just as smooth, just as calm, just as gentle. "Better?"

"Yeah…" His chest doesn't hurt anymore, and his heart has slowed down to an easy pace.

"Keep going as long as you need. If you fall asleep that's fine."

Kurt turns to look at Blaine and smiles "Thanks…"

Blaine smiles back, "I learned this when I was a kid, in therapy. It helps with the anxiety." Kurt can practically hear the words Blaine leaves unsaid, _When I had my anorexia "thing"._ "I should've just made you do this right from the start."

Kurt can't help frowning at that, but Blaine just shakes his head and motions for Kurt to keep focusing on his breathing. "Let's take something out of this, okay?" Blaine asks after a while, "Whenever one of us is stressed or upset, no matter how much, he will take the time to tell the other what he needs from him, and be _honest_. If either of us needs to just be alone, he'll say so. If he needs company to smash some plates, he'll say so. If he just needs to be distracted in whatever way… okay?"

"Yeah." Kurt nods, "Sounds about right." He smiles, reaching out to take Blaine's hand, before falling back into silence.

Somewhere along their breathing, Kurt's phone goes off with his weekend nine thirty alarm clock, he fishes it easily out of his pocket, stops it and discards the phone before going back to it. Outside, it's not long before they hear movement but neither makes a move to join Tina or Mike for breakfast or anything like it.

Kurt closes his eyes and knows he could fall asleep right now, and have the most peaceful sleep in his life even though it's broad daylight and he's lying on the hard floor. He's never felt safer.

Before he lets himself give into his exhaustion, he murmurs, "I love you."

Next to him, there's not even an inch of movement, besides the whispered reply, "I love you, too."


	6. Chapter 6

**June – the month with the ER**

_**Thursday, 19**__**th**__** June, 2015 – 14:37**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Dinner was so delicious last night._

_I think we should quit school and open a restaurant together. It's going to be called "Kurt cooks 70% of it and Honey-Bee adds pepper to everything and annoys Kurt even though it really tasted better afterwards"._

_Love,_

_Bee_

_Day 144 – E-mail 144_

-x-

"I got you a surprise present, Bee." Kurt says as he pushes the door open with his hip, his arms juggling three grocery bags.

Blaine pops up from behind the fridge and immediately jogs to help Kurt with the bags, "Kurt I told you I'd get everything!" he admonishes, taking two of the bags and kissing Kurt swiftly on the lips.

"But you didn't have my surprise present." Kurt teases.

Blaine gives him a bemused smile, "What?"

With a flourish and a grin, Kurt deposits the last bag on the counter and gestures for Blaine to take a look. As soon as he peers inside the bag, Blaine's smile freezes and his eyebrows draw together, he stares for a second too long before he bursts out laughing. He takes out a packet of pepper and throws it at Kurt's face, and another, and another.

"I thought you said you could never have enough pepper!" Kurt cackles as he runs towards the living room to take cover behind the couch as Blaine continues to throw more packets at him.

"You're insane!" Blaine gasps as he finally manages to stop laughing, "This must've cost a fortune, Kurt. It's a bagful!"

"Well, yes, but pepper's just one of those things that don't really have an expiration date, so I guess I just gave you lifetime supply."

"Oh, yeah?" Blaine moves to kneel on the couch, peering over its back to Kurt still sitting behind it, "And what's the occasion?"

"Something to remember me by for all those few weeks we won't see each other…?"

"If I miss you I should just go sniff some pepper, is it?" Blaine asks very seriously, and Kurt just grins and nods.

With a wistful sigh he leans closer and says, "I'm really glad Tina and Mike went back to Ohio this soon." Kurt tells him with a mischievous grin.

"Is that so?"

"Why yes, Mr. Bee. Do you know what I just realized we never did?" Kurt purrs out, as a hand discreetly curls around a stray pepper packet.

"Do tell."

"Run around the apartment like idiots!" He gets through, as fast as possible, before he throws the packet at Blaine's face and springs to his feet, starting to run.

Apparently it_ is_ just as much fun as it seems in the movies – a lot of squealing and laughing -, but it is most definitely not as adorable or easy. Probably because in the movies they have ginormous apartments, which is not the case, obviously, and if it lasts more than fifteen seconds it's because Blaine's smart enough to play along and prolong it.

Another thing they don't have, in movies, is pepper packets spread all over the floor posing as deadly threats. Just as Blaine finally captures Kurt and moves to throw him back on the couch, his foot slips over one and they loose balance, crashing to the floor with a sickening crunch.

"Fuck!" Kurt gasps, a hand coming to rub his hip, where it connected with the floor – which is also when he realizes it didn't connect with the floor. It connected with Blaine's left wrist, which in turn connected with the floor, alongside the full weight of Kurt's body. "Oh no! Oh shit!" he moves away immediately. Blaine's face looks like it's torn between paling beyond reason and flushing scarlet red, and he's biting his lip, clearly keeping some sort of scream stuck in his throat.

"Blaine? Blaine, honey, talk to me, does it hurt?"

Blaine seems to be in enough pain to completely bypass the stupidity in Kurt's question before he just nods, tears already pooling in his eyes.

"Do you think it's broken? Should we go to the Hospital?"

"Yeah…" Blaine gets out through gritted teeth, "Probably best."

"Oh my god, oh my god, okay, do you have ice packets, or something? Or are we not supposed to put ice on it yet?"

"Frozen peas." Blaine mutters as he pushes himself to sit with his good hand, and Kurt sprints off to the fridge. By the time he returns Blaine's already up, taking deep breaths to keep himself centered and collecting his keys, wallet, and cell phone. "Let's go?" Kurt hands him the peas.

"Probably best." Blaine nods, accepting the peas with a thankful smile and wrapping them around his wrist.

Kurt just stands there for a moment, his heart racing and his hands shaking, before everything thankfully reboots and he's sprinting to the door, and then downstairs to hail a cab.

It turns out a possibly broken wrist isn't the most urgent of things, even if Blaine's in pain, and they're told to sit on the waiting room quite possibly forever.

"We should probably have peas for dinner." Blaine drops the dripping bag on the seat next to his, apparently not bothering with it anymore.

"I could try and ask the nurse for an ice pack, at least."

"Don't bother." Blaine says calmly, "It's more of a dull constant pain right now… if I don't move it. It's fine. I can handle it."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." With a tired, but honest smile Blaine just slides down his seat and adjust his position until his head is resting on Kurt's shoulder and his good hand is on his knee, squeezing gently, "So that went well…"

"I'm so sorry." Kurt breathes, wrapping an arm around Blaine and pulling him closer.

"It was an accident, Kurt… If anything it was my fault. Brilliant idea, throwing packets all over the floor."

"And yet I still thought it'd be fun to run around like idiots."

"Yeah, well. Then I guess it's both our faults." Blaine shrugs.

"No… I liked it better when it was just yours." Kurt whines and pouts and Blaine glances up with a quirked eyebrow before he shrugs again, and smiles.

"Okay, then." He squeezes Kurt's knee, "All my fault."

"Thank you, Bee." Kurt breathes, "I couldn't possibly live with the guilt of being even partially responsible for your pain."

"I could take this in a very sweet direction, or a very kinky one…" Blaine chuckles.

"Blaine, don't even. We're in public." Kurt mutters, but doesn't pull away even while Blaine just laughs.

"If we weren't?"

"We _are_." Kurt rolls his eyes, but can't help the blush covering his cheeks, and the heat settling somewhere deep in his belly, "Honestly you're not even high on pain killers, yet."

"Doubt I'll be, Kurt." Blaine shrugs.

He pouts and sighs, "A guy can dream."

"He sure can." Blaine chuckles, smirking.

"Blaine!" Kurt admonishes, rolling his eyes and swatting him over his shoulder.

With a cackle he just sits back straighter and says, "Alright, sweet direction it is. I'd never want to be responsible for your pain, either." He murmurs with the earnest smile that's so completely _Blaine's_, and Kurt returns it, "Unless it's the kinky kind."

"Ugh!" Kurt groans and Blaine settles back into his previous position, just as a nurse calls out, "Blaine Anderson?"

Blaine springs to his feet, "Don't forget the peas, for dinner."

Kurt sneers at the mere thought, knowing that those peas will never see the light of a plate, probably soggy and ruined by now, but grabs the bag nonetheless wincing at the pool of water left behind on the chair.

It turns out Blaine was right and the pain killers were not nearly enough for any alteration of consciousness and Kurt supposes that perhaps asking the doctor for some more would sound, at the very least, stupid. So he keeps his mouth mostly shut throughout the whole thing. Unlike all the times he's accompanied Burt to the doctor's, where he's the one asking all the questions and making sure to write everything down, Blaine seems to be a professional at being in a doctor's office thinking of issues that not even Kurt would've remembered to ask.

For a moment there, it makes him feel a little lost. He's not used to this. He's not used to being there just to hold a hand. He's used to being in charge, to taking care and, in some ways, to being the one that always knows best. He's used to being needed. It's just now hitting Kurt, the fact that Blaine has never truly_ needed_ him. Not like that, anyway. Not the way his dad did, or even Rachel sometimes.

As they head outside, Blaine's wrist in a cast, he's still a little stuck inside his own head.

"Thanks for coming with me." Blaine says as they head to the nearest subway station.

"Don't be silly. Where else would I be…?" Kurt shrugs.

"I don't know. There are too may possibilities," Blaine chuckles easily, "Cleaning the mess we left back at the apartment, for one. Boiling peas for dinner,…"

"Those peas are not going anywhere near our digestive systems…"

Blaine lifts the finally dry and lukewarm bag closer to his face and then prods it with one of the fingers poking out of his cast, feeling its soggy insides. "You might have a point there." He laughs, "But I _am _hungry."

"Let's just stop somewhere for dinner." Just the thought of still having to go all the way over to Blaine's apartment and then cook dinner makes his stomach growl.

"Pizza, please." Blaine sighs, "It's kind of hard maneuvering anything else one handed."

"It looks like that place has pizza." Kurt juts his chin out towards the other side of the street. It looks a little dingy, but he's really starving after hours in that hospital.

Once they're seated and eating Blaine reaches out with his bad hand and wraps what little part of his fingers he manages to move around Kurt's free hand, "Everything okay?"

"What? Yes, of course."

"Kurt…" Blaine quirks an eyebrow and gives him a half-teasing smile.

"Just… weird day." Kurt shrugs.

"Surprising, unexpected, unplanned maybe… but there's hardly anything weird about a fractured wrist, Kurt."

"I just… This is going to sound crazy, so bear with me." Blaine doesn't say anything, he just waits calmly, "The way you were today, so calm and levelheaded and… you really knew what you were doing, from the very minute it happened. It made me realize something, and I don't know how I feel about it and…" he sighs and shakes his head, restarting, "I guess, it's not the first thing people notice about me, but I do spend a lot of my time taking care of others…"

"It's very noticeable, actually."

"Oh." It takes Kurt aback, how nonchalant Blaine is about it, like it was that obvious, when nobody else had ever done that. It makes him smile. "But that's not the point. The point is… I… I realized that you've never really needed me to do that. You don't… You don't need me."

"Oh." Blaine frowns, "That's not true."

"You need me?"

"Of course I need you. Sometimes, I think I might actually need you too much." Blaine smiles, "Just because I don't need you to take_ care_ of me, or even, I don't know, guide me through life or whatever, it doesn't mean I don't need you _there_ while I do it."

"I guess."

"I do need you, Kurt." Blaine insists, noting the hesitation on Kurt's tone, "I'm not… Listen, I'm really confused why you'd think that. I just… I've never been a very independent person, Kurt – not on an emotional level. I know how to operate in life, obviously, but I do depend on people a lot, emotionally, and you know this about me. I know you do. If you thought for just a second, you'd realize that me knowing how to get myself to the hospital or keep my apartment clean or anything – you'd know that has nothing to do with how much I need you." Blaine sighs, and smiles something between sad and embarrassed, "I may have grown up a lot, from the needy kid I was that would take all the shit thrown at me if it meant having someone who 'loved' me, but I still… I don't know, I still feel better when I have that. I'm trying to keep it in check, you know? I'm trying to keep it at a healthy level, I think. I'm succeeding for the most part, maybe…?"

"Where's that?"

Blaine's silent for a while, frowning to himself and biting his lips before he offers with a shrug, "You don't need me to take care of you, either. You never will."

"I…" Kurt wants to somewhat deny it, because it feels like something Blaine would love to hear.

"So," Blaine sighs and gives him a feeble little smile, "What's stopping you from leaving?"

"I love you. I want you!"

Blaine stretches himself over the table to kiss Kurt – it tastes of greasy cheese and pepperoni, but it's still the best thing in the world, "I love you, and I want you, too. And, hopefully, therein lies my need for you. It's like the difference between seeing in black and white and then introducing color. You don't need it, but you _need _it."

Kurt bites his cheek to keep himself from grinning too hard, "When did you get so smart?"

"You must be rubbing off on me." Blaine gives him the easiest, wider smile he has since they started this conversation, "That and I've had the same thoughts before…" he shrugs, "After our first fight… that awful, awful night, I just… I was so… disappointed in myself, that it turned out I was not the answer to all your problems, you know? That I didn't actually instinctively know how to make you feel better. That I might not be what you needed … But then, before I could actually drive myself crazy thinking about it, I realized that just because you're okay alone, doesn't mean you want to be."

"Because I don't want to just be _okay_…"

Blaine nods and kisses him again, "Never strive for okay, when you can have perfect, right?"

"You're a poet, Bee."

He laughs and adopts a sickly sweet smile, and purrs out "For you, I'm anything you want me to be."

"Loving boyfriend works for now." Kurt laughs, and picks his pizza back up.

They eat the rest of their pizza mostly in silence, but it's more comfortable now and they do sneak in a few glances and little smiles every once in a while. Once he finishes Blaine balls up his napkin and flicks it toward Kurt with a wink and a good-natured "Just finishing our earlier dispute, where I was clearly winning before your hip used my wrist to break its fall."

Kurt rolls his eyes and picks up the rest of their stuff, throwing it in the trash on their way out. The subway ride is spent with another of their usual rousing games of I spy, their subway tradition.

Once Blaine pushes his apartment door open and they're faced with the complete mess left behind the first thing they do is sigh and then chuckle. "I'll pick up the cinnamon packets, and you go put away the groceries I brought." Kurt says, "We wouldn't want you slipping over another and breaking you other wrist."

Blaine gives him a sarcastic smile before he goes towards the kitchen counter. They've been working mostly in silence, Pirate circling their ankles every once in while, meowing for attention, when Blaine gasps in horror.

Kurt startles and makes his way towards the kitchen where he's standing in front of the fridge, its door ajar from where it slipped from Blaine's weak grasp, "What?"

Blaine looks up at Kurt, wide fearful eyes, "How am I supposed to play any instruments with this?" he whispers, voice tragic as he lifts his cast for illustration.

"Blaine…!" Kurt's worry deflates at once, rolling his eyes and closing the fridge completely.

"No, I'm serious Kurt! I'm going to _die_! Do you realize that for the first time in _months_ I'll be in the same house as my fucking _awesome_ piano and I'm not going to be able to play it properly! Do you?!"

"You'll survive."

"No… I really won't." Blaine whimpers and slumps his shoulders as he goes back to pulling items out of the grocery bags.

Kurt can't help laughing as he rubs a hand over his head and goes back to his own task, "It's just what, a week of mild torture before you guys go to Europe…? and then you'll be distracted by all the sightseeing, relax."

"Ugh, I won't be able to take my guitar with me and write songs, drawing inspiration from the history and the scenery and the people of Europe?!"

"Now you're just being a whiny asshole."

"French boys, Kurt…" Blaine moons longingly, and Kurt throws a packet, amazingly hitting him on the neck, while Blaine just shoots him a brilliant grin, and wink.

"No, but seriously, though," Blaine says with a sobered smile, "It's going to suck…"

"Ahh, but put things into perspective, Bee," Kurt grins, hands on his hips and head cocked to the side, "It could've been your right wrist, and then you really wouldn't survive this next month without me there to suck."

With that Blaine looks absolutely torn between laughing and crying.


	7. Chapter 7

_**July – the month with the future**_

_**Wednesday, 16**__**th**__** July, 2015 – 22:39**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__I hope you're happy now_

_My mom loves you more than she loves me. This is exactly what I feared. This is exactly why I didn't want you guys to meet._

_(She doesn't love you more than I do, though. I love you ridiculous levels. I love you as much as my dad loves barbecue sauce. I love you as much as Jupiter is big. I love you as much as water is wet. I love you so much)_

_I can't believe we did this. I can't believe I met your family and you met mine. I can't believe they all met._

_I LOVE YOU,_

_Honey-Bee_

_Day 171 – E-mail 171_

-x-

"Am I finally going to see you without the damn phone in your hand?" Burt asks as puts his bag in the trunk.

Kurt looks up from where he was texting Blaine, telling him they were just about to leave, and blushes slightly. "Sorry…"

"No, it's fine." Burt chuckles, "I like seeing you smile, even if it isn't directed at me."

"Ugh, dad. Lame." Kurt shoots back, even though he feels a little warmer at the sentiment.

Carole comes rushing with a pie in each hand, "Hold this, dear! I need to lock the door." Kurt climbs in the backseat and puts one pie on Carole's seat and another on his lap, while Burt climbs into the driver's seat and buckles up.

"So things with this boy are pretty serious, then?"

"Dad, you're about to go to a barbeque especially arranged for the sole purpose of our families meeting, and then you're going to go on a road trip with the two of us and his dad to spend a full week in New York and go to the pride parade. What do you think?"

Burt chuckles, and nods, "Good point."

"I'd say things are about as serious as they could be."

"Whatever that means…" Burt chuckles as he starts the car and Carole hops in, almost sitting on the pie before noticing it.

"I mean that we're young and we've been together for something like six months, so I'm not going to say I want to marry him and have his kids… But…"

"But you want to."

"Dad!"

"What? There's nothing wrong with daydreaming, or even hopeful planning. If life gets in the way and you have to say goodbye, then… that's what you do, but if right now you can't help wanting a life with him, that's what you should aim for."

"Thanks, dad." He mumbles grabbing his phone, this conversation getting a little too serious for his liking, even though he should've seen it coming with the kind of day they had ahead.

"And Kurt…?"

"Yes, dad?" He doesn't look up from his phone, even though he hasn't unlocked it, and is trying not to notice the way Burt's pulled Carole's hand between them.

"I've been waiting your whole life to give you this advice, so pay attention, _kid_." Burt says, stopping where he'd already been reversing out of the driveway and turning in his seat to look Kurt in the eye.

"Okay."

"Careers and job opportunities and professional fulfillment, those are all important things and you need to do something you love, without a doubt, but don't for a minute think any of that means anything if you don't have something good to come home to."

Kurt frowns, "What're you saying?"

"I'm saying, if life does get in the way, and the choice is between love and career, choose very, _very _carefully. Don't get too caught up in this generation's craze of career and personal fulfillment first and family second. It might be the right thing for some people, but it might not be for you."

"Oookay…" Kurt says slowly, still frowning a little, "I just… I don't understand why you're telling me this right now, but sure._ If_ the time comes I'll be sure to remember that."

Burt sighs and resumes his driving, "I feel like it's finally something worth saying."

"It's like you want me to marry the guy and you haven't even met him. Excuse me if I'm confused."

Burt laughs, "I have a lot of admiration and respect for whoever makes you smile that wide."

"Oh god…" Kurt groans and lets his head fall back, bringing up his phone and unlocking it.

_Kurt: We're on the move. (Dad's being super lame and cheesy, distract me)_

_Blaine: thank goodness. How did we even survive all those months you were in Paris? (I do like distracting you)_

_Kurt: we weren't dating yet, there were a lot of things you didn't know you'd miss. You hadn't been properly introduced to my mouth, for instance._

_Blaine: Oh my! And what a fine, talented mouth it is… had that text come twenty minutes earlier and you would have helped make my waking up that much more enjoyable._

_Kurt: I was thinking along the lines of innocent, idle kissing. Such a dirty mind you have, my love._

_Blaine: You were most definitely not! You started it._

_Kurt: That I did, that I did. After endless weeks of only this (what are the kids calling it this days? Sexting?), it's kind of hard to stop (and just when I was getting the hang of it)… I guess my fingers slipped – muscle memory and all. Although you'll be thanking heavens for it, tonight._

_Blaine: you are…_

_Kurt: I know._

Kurt smiled smugly at his phone waiting for Blaine's reply and as his eyes wandered a little and met his dad's on the rearview mirror he couldn't help blushing and ducking his head, while Burt chuckled.

_Blaine: You can't hear it, but I'm groaning because I miss you so bad. Even if you only had five minutes left on your drive it'd still be too log. I need you here and now._

_Kurt: I love it when you groan._

_Blaine: Forget about our parents and everyone else. When you get here I'm getting on that car and we're going away just the two of us so I can do things to you and groan until I'm hoarse._

_Kurt: Mmmm… music to my ears. I'll tell my dad to step on it._

_Blaine: Seriously, though. Let's plan things better next year, because I'm pretty sure this was an insane and unnecessary amount of time apart. Also, don't tell your dad to step on it, because better late than never, right? Drive safe._

_Kurt: Ugh, you sound just like him! (yes, better planning much needed) We're halfway._

_Blaine: Awesomeness. I've just finished the salad fruit. My phone is drenched in fruit juices, btw. Sticky. Disgusting. Poor thing. _

_Kurt: I'm sure it's seen worse days (nights). Sticky, sticky indeed._

_Blaine: Le gasp!_

Kurt laughs quietly to his phone. He's still not sure when this shift happened, when he started to be the instigator and Blaine took over the blushing, coy role. Well, not always – Blaine couldn't never even come close to a "blushing virgin" if he tried his hardest, the way he is in the heat of the moment. But it turns out, that if you put clothes on him and take him out of the seclusion of a bedroom, he turns the loveliest shade of red whenever they go further than private, whispered innuendos. It makes for spectacular amusement whenever they're at parties and Blaine's mildly drunk and Kurt's feeling… especially rowdy.

It results in so much giggling, stuttering and blushing, it's both the most adorable and the sexiest thing ever. This last month apart, Kurt's missed that. Sexting, or even phone sex just isn't the same – it's hot, and boy do they make it hot, but he doesn't get to see the result of riling Blaine up, up close and personal.

He just missed Blaine a whole lot. Everything about him.

_Kurt: Are you nervous?_

_Blaine: About…?_

_Kurt: Today? Everything about today. Meeting the parents, the parents meeting each other… All at once._

_Blaine: Not gonna lie. A little bit nervous. But it'll be fine. My parents love you already; you've got nothing to worry about._

Kurt bites his lips and glances at the back of his dad's head before he smiles and texts back.

_Kurt: Yeah. My dad's pretty much in awe of you, too._

-x-

As soon as their car is coming up the driveway of a humongous, beautiful house, the front door is being pulled open and Blaine appears, wearing a beautiful navy/white stripped tee and denim shorts that hug his thighs so tightly Kurt's brain might short circuit if he stares one moment too long. The moment Burt has pulled the hand break Kurt is out of the car and jogging to Blaine, pulling him in and kissing him with all the desperate need of someone who hasn't seen his beloved boyfriend in nearly a month. Blaine's certainly not complaining, lacing his arms around Kurt's waist and lifting him off the ground spinning. As soon as his feet touch the ground again Kurt pulls back, grinning and breathless "The car's still running, if we run now we can make it to Canada before they have time to realize what we're doing!"

Blaine laughs and kisses him again, just as Carole steps up, both pies on her hands, "This must be Blaine!"

Kurt beams and shakes his head, "Oh no, this is just the pool boy, Eddie."

Carole bites away her laughter before she says, "It's very nice to meet you, Eddie. I'm Carole."

"Likewise, Mrs. Hummel."

"If you can kiss my Kurt like that, you can call me Carole"

Blaine has the decency to blush and nod, and Kurt resists the urge to pull him back in, just as Burt catches up, "Blaine," he says offering up a hand, "Nice to finally meet you, kid."

"Such a pleasure, sir!" Blaine beams, "I've heard so much about you guys it feels like I'm meeting celebrities!"

Both of them dissolve into giggles – yes, Burt Hummel, dissolves into giggles – and Kurt rolls his eyes and smiles, "Flattery will get you everywhere."

Blaine grins and nods, "Good to know." He gestures towards the front door, "They're inside. Upstairs, I think. I don't think they heard my cry of happiness, otherwise they'd be here already." He takes Kurt's hand in his and starts walking towards the house, "Please, come in."

Kurt has a hard time keeping his eyes from dancing everywhere as soon as they're inside and he's faced with every interior design fantasy he ever had as a child, "Wow…"

Blaine gives him a quick smile before calling out, "Mom! Dad! Coop! They're here!"

It takes a few seconds, but suddenly there are hurried footsteps. Blaine's mother is the first one appearing from the top of the wide stairs, hurriedly putting on an earring. She's short with soft, voluptuous curves, hugged nicely by casual, modern jeans and a nice airy pink top. "Oh, welcome!" she smiles at once, hurrying until she's standing in front of Blaine and Kurt, "Oh, is this Kurt?" she gasps, putting a hand on his shoulder and then admiring him at arm's length. Kurt tries his hardest not to fidget. Finally, she drops to take his hand and pulls it up, wordlessly making him twirl in place, "Oh, _Blaine_…!"

"Mom." Blaine mutters in a warning tone.

"But he is _gorgeous_! Isn't he, John?" she asks, as a man appears, taking the steps at a pace only slightly slower than she had. He's discreetly finishing tucking his light yellow shirt in his expensive but casual looking cargo shorts.

John Anderson is much, much taller than his wife, and even though he's clearly well into his fifties, maybe more, he's a surprisingly handsome man. And until the moment his smile widens and reaches his eyes Kurt could've sworn Blaine had none of his features – all angles and pallor where Blaine was soft and rich, much like his mother. But their smile… their smile was the same. All joy and kindness and candor.

"Impressive, son…" John nods and winks at Blaine before he turns back to Kurt, "You'll have to excuse my wife, stuck in this house with us three she doesn't get much opportunities to see handsome men, anymore."

Kurt's pretty sure his cheeks are on fire by now and he's pretty much lost his ability to speak.

"John Anderson, it's very nice to finally meet you, Kurt."

Kurt shakes his hand, and he's trying to say something, _anything_, when Blaine's mother laughs, easy and free, "He's so embarrassed, poor thing!"

"Just shut up, mom." Blaine sighs and then turns towards Kurt's family, "Mom, dad, this Burt and Carole Hummel."

"It's so nice to meet you!" Carole grins, stepping forward and offering her hand to Blaine's mom.

"I'm Claire!" they shake hands as Burt steps forward and offers his to John, "I'm so glad you could come!"

The new round of introductions is interrupted as what sounds like a stampede comes barreling down the stairs, turning out to be an exact younger copy of John, with a slightly harried woman behind him. Cooper Anderson in all his glory – his first impression living up to everything Kurt was ever told about him. Magnetic, good-looking, attention stealer, and something that even after three mere seconds of seeing him made Kurt know there was something inherently silly, if not foolish, about him. And absolutely no trace of his difficult childhood left on him. With a mega-watts smile Cooper heads straight to Kurt, hand already stretched out, "Kurt Hummel! I was beginning to think I'd never see the day!"

"Hum, hi!"

"Hi right back at you!" Cooper beamed, "Excuse our delay, we were… huh, _delayed_." He shoots another winning grin, as the woman behind him sighs and seems to stop herself just short of face palming. Her hair is slightly disheveled, her cheeks are flushed, and her smile is nervous. Her build is similar to Claire's, but she's blonde with chocolate brown eyes, and adorably freckly, chubby cheeks.

"This must be Kurt's lovely family! It's so nice to meet you all. I'm Blaine's brother, Cooper and this is my Elle." He says all of this as he shakes their hands, completely unphased by the way everyone just went silent and stunned at this sudden burst of energy.

She gives Kurt a small smile that he's sure means something like "Been there, done that, welcome to the crazy.", he can't help but smile back and let out a little relieved sigh. She's here and she's alive: it can't be that bad.

"Oh dear!" Claire gasps, out of nowhere startling everyone "Give those here," she gestures towards the pies Burt and Carole are holding, "No reason to exhaust yourselves, just yet. Come, come!"

-x-

It turns out, it really isn't that bad. After the initial shock wears off it's a nice enough affair. A little awkward, sometimes a little stilted even, but everyone is trying and it's a great group of people with two young men and their blossoming romance in common. Conversation flows mostly nicely when Kurt asks Blaine's parents about their vacation to Europe this past month, and when Claire and Cooper go on a rampage, it just makes the job easier for everyone. Kurt glances back to where Blaine's helping his dad with the barbeque, and he gives him a warm, soothing smile. It's not hard to see who takes after who, in this family.

When lunch is almost ready, Blaine takes Kurt's hand and announces he's going to show him around the house – something everyone but Cooper has the good sense not to comment or tease them over.

They don't stop long in Blaine's bedroom (even though Kurt would have loved to be left alone in it for a couple of hours, just to explore and understand), and they try not to get lost in each other, because lunch will be ready soon and they'd much rather not be interrupted by anyone coming to get them. Instead, Blaine really does show him the house, peppering it with little anecdotes from his childhood here and there.

From the glimpses into the few family photos displayed on the walls and shelves, and even just the whole of the house and his stories a lot of pieces that is Blaine's puzzle slot into place and Kurt falls in love with him a little bit more every five minutes. He tells him so, as Blaine draws his little tour of the house to an end, by the door that leads to the backyard, where everyone else was still pretending not to notice their prolonged absence.

Blaine takes a deep breath; smiles that little smile of his that says more than a hundred words could and pulls him in to a deep kiss filled with love, trust and earnest gratitude.

"Tell me the truth," Kurt chuckles as he pulls back, "Are your parents dressed down, trying not to intimidate mine…?"

Blaine bites his lip, smile still escaping its prison and he shrugs with one shoulder, "Maybe…" he mutters, "Why? What gave it away…?"

"There's not one photo of your mother wearing anything less then four inch heels and a designer skirt; her jeans look absolutely brand new… And I think I saw your dad fix his invisible tie at least six times, now."

Blaine glances at the group outside and, as if on cue, his father reaches up to his neck, only to find there's no tie to straighten. With a laugh, "They asked me what I wanted today to be like, and I told him I wanted everyone to be comfortable… I wanted this to be the start of something easy… and you know, friendly. It's not that they're not ever like this, you know, relaxed and casual, when it's just the four of us, it's just, when we have company they love going all out… And you're wrong, my mom has worn those jeans at least three times before today."

"Well… To tell you the truth, I think it was probably best this way. I'm sure they wouldn't have minded much, if your parents were dressed to the nines, but they would have been a little…"

"Intimidated…"

"Yeah."

"Are you?" Blaine asks, his eyes betraying how worried he really was over the subject.

Kurt shook his head, "Of course not."

They share another kiss and Kurt pulls back sooner than he'd like "We should probably go join them, or your mother's going to come in here and start complementing me on my kissing technique as well."

Blaine lets out a long sigh and drops his head to Kurt's shoulder, "I am _so_ sorry about her."

"She's great, Bee."

"Yeah… sometimes I lose track of that…" he says with a roll of his eyes, but there's fondness in his tone and Kurt knows he doesn't mean any of it.

-x-

"Blaine, honey, put some sunscreen on." Claire calls from where she's cutting a pie, opening the rounds on dessert, "You're getting a little reddish."

"That's because you keep embarrassing me, mom, it's just blushing. I'm fine." Blaine gives her one of his sardonic smiles. Kurt knows these smiles now – it's one of those things you only get to see on Blaine if you give him time to show it – this condescending, verging-on-obnoxious kind of side of him. Kurt actually finds it a little sexy, even when directed at himself (maybe especially then).

"Blaine, don't be silly. It's just sunscreen and it's important." She insists, and Blaine just shakes his head and remains in his place, pulling his feet up and folding them on his chair, like a pretzel.

Kurt's torn between laughing and telling him he's the most adorable little shit ever. He glances at Claire who's rolling her eyes as she plates the first slice of pie. Their eyes meet and Kurt shoots her a smile and a wink.

"I have some sunscreen in my bag," Kurt says, twisting himself in his seat and reaching inside the bag hanging on the back of his chair, "here…" he offers the tube.

"Kurt."

"Sunscreen's important. I don't want you if your skin's damaged goods."

Blaine gives him a steady glare before he takes the sunscreen off his hand and squirts some on his fingers, before applying it in two stripes over his cheeks and then directing that same smile to Kurt. "Better now?"

Kurt gives him a sickly sweet smile and shakes his head before reaching for Blaine's chin and holding his face in place as he spreads the white across his cheeks and nose. "There you go, Bee." Kurt finishes with a kiss to his cheek.

"Bee?" John echoes from his seat in front of Burt, his bright blue eyes are alive with mirth, "Nice to see your mother's legacy lives on."

"Nuh-huh," Claire shakes her head from where she's still distributing slices of pie, "My legacy is Honey-Bee, nothing more, nothing less."

"Well, it started that way." Kurt informs her, feeling more comfortable after the sunscreen alliance, "But it was just too long to be practical, I'm sorry."

"He still uses the full version when he wants me to do something for him." Blaine pipes up as he reaches for his piece of pie, "He knows I'll do anything to keep him from calling me that atrocity." He smiles teasingly, this time it's all in good nature, not a mean tone to it.

"You love it when I call you that." Kurt elbows him.

"Of course he does," Burt smiles knowingly, "Anything to make him feel a little closer to home, ain't that right, kid?"

Blaine seems completely tripped up at that, mouth open but words failing him, his cheeks definitely reddening with a blush, before he smiles, a little bashful but not at all forced. Claire lets out a wonderful, happy laugh and John grins between his wife, his son and Burt.

"Oh, shush!" Blaine says, over his mother's laughter, and she fixes him with a smug smile, "This is exactly why I can't ever admit to anything even remotely nice about you!" he fixes her with a pointed glare, even though he seems just as amused as everyone else, "I admit I miss her and she takes it as a personal victory. She's impossible."

"Eat some pie, Blaine." Claire bites back with a wink, "And stop being a whiny little bitch."

The table erupts into raucous laughter, and Blaine just rolls his eyes and turns to Cooper, "Whenever you want to steal the attention, just go right ahead."

Cooper laughs even more before he nods, "Alright, alright, if you say so, let us get back on track with the afternoon." He announces, "Honey-Bee, do you want to be my best man?"

"What?!" Blaine sputters.

"Oh, yeah…" Cooper grins, "I forgot to tell you, guys." He shrugs casually, even though he clearly didn't forget anything, "We're engaged."

"What?!"

Elle's blushing so much it's amazing she has enough blood to keep the rest of her body functioning, but she smiles and nods, brushing the hair away from her face, "We are…"

"When did this happen?!" Claire gasps, raising out of her chair and walking around the table.

"This morning…?" it sounds like a question, the way this girl is almost coiling under all this attention, but she's still grinning, and she looks glowing and happy, "he… huh…" she doesn't finish the stuttered answer as she's soon enveloped in a tight hug.

"She finally said yes!" Cooper beams with pride and thrill.

"Finally?" Blaine frowns, "You asked before?"

Elle sputters with laughter, while Cooper shrugs nonchalantly, "I asked her to marry me on our first date."

"He's asked me to marry him every month since we started going out…" She rolls her eyes, before she raises her hand, a shiny, beautiful engagement ring on, "last month I told him to get a ring and I'd consider it."

"So I got her a ring." Cooper grins and says it like he's commenting on the weather.

With disbelief all over their faces the Andersons share hugs and handshakes and pats on the shoulders. And Burt clears a throat and raises his half empty beer, "To the happy couple! Congratulations, may you get everything you ever wished for in each other and then some!"

"Ditto!" Carole grins, and everyone grabs their drinks and laughs as the sounds of clinking glass and excitement permeates through the summery breeze of a sunny July afternoon.

"Wow, when your brother pulls focus, he_ really_ pulls focus." Kurt murmurs in Blaine's ear and receives a knowing smile in return.

"I'm not complaining this time, though." He beams and Kurt kisses his temple before Blaine slips away to hug Elle tightly and then his brother, each of them clinging hard to the other and burying their faces in it.

There's something undeniably powerful and indescribable about their hug. Kurt swallows and tries not to think of Finn and how he used to hug him just like that – just as strong and perfect. He feels a little lump in his throat as he watches Blaine pull back from the embrace and take his brother's face between his hands, beaming, eyes filled with joy. He's saying something, they both are, but Kurt can't hear them.

He takes a deep breath and lets the happiness of the moment overwhelm the sudden pang of longing for his own brother's embrace (he tries not to think about how he'll never get to have this, he'll never get to congratulate Finn on his love, or receive Finn's congratulations on his), and makes his way to Blaine's parents, "Congratulations to the happy parents, as well!" he grins.

"Thank you, sweetheart!" Claire pulls him in for a hug.

John claps his back and gives him a little knowing smile that Kurt can't quite decipher, but it's still nice and heartwarming, before he clears his throat and raises his drink again, "Today we celebrate love – young, new, and old."

They toast that second time, and the afternoon just keeps going with more and more toasts, laughter increasingly easier, and smiles all too quick to surface. There's a nice buzz to everyone, and the awkwardness that had been there at the start was completely gone, along with three bottles of wine and too much beer.

-x-

Kurt watches from the car as Blaine hugs his mother goodbye. It's a tight hug that contrasts with the never ending, back and forth snark they'd shared all day. He smiles at it, but feels it's almost too private and can't help averting his eyes. He looks to Pirate's little travel-case, at his side where she's miraculously sound asleep and resists the urge to open it and start petting her. She's adorable.

Carole opens the door and tells him to scoot over so he's in the middle, and Kurt picks up the case and settles it on his lap. Pirate stirs awake, meows once and falls back asleep – Kurt has yet to master Blaine's cat-conversational technique.

It's a little while before Burt, John and Blaine hop on the car. They're going through Lima first to drop Carole off, and then heading out to New York, for a few days of showing their dads (mostly Burt) around before the big Pride Parade Day (apparently Blaine's dad has a conference in NYC the week before the Parade, and this is how the whole male-bonding week in NYC idea got started). Just a lot of male bonding. Kurt feels like he should be nervous, but after today, it's kind of hard to.

They'll stop for the night somewhere along the way, and they've packed sandwiches for dinner on the road.

Blaine settles nicely onto Kurt's other side, and he offers to take Pirate, but Kurt just shrugs and tells him it's fine, instead offering him a hand to lace their fingers together, and sliding down in his seat until he can lay his head on Blaine's shoulder.

Burt and John fall into easy "manly" conversation about the car, and Kurt sees Blaine frowning slightly at his own dad before chuckling to himself and resting his temple against Kurt's. Carole pipes up in the conversation every once in a while, especially as it eventually moves away from cars and into other fields she's more interested in.

Kurt and Blaine, though, keep their silence, not quite sleeping, but lulled into a lazy comfort, leaning into each other. Sometimes Blaine will kiss the top of Kurt's head, and Kurt will squeeze Blaine's hand in response.

They both pretend they don't notice either one of the three adults stealing glances at them every once in a while.

They're pulling into Lima when Kurt disentangles his hand from Blaine's to press his index finger to his denim-clad thigh and spell out "I L-O-V-E Y-O-U"

Blaine breathes deep, wrapping his now free arm around Kurt and pulling him closer, burying his nose in Kurt's hair, his breath tickling and delicious as he lets it out.

Kurt closes his eyes and knows this is just one of those moments, or even days, that, however simple they may be, they're perfect.

He knows his dad was right before – with Blaine's arm around his shoulder, keeping him close, and his scent in every breath he takes, he knows that one day they'll be in that same backyard with those same people, the happiest they've ever been and just as in love, if not more than today, announcing their own engagement.

Later that night, in their slightly less than ideal motel room, after he watches Blaine type out his daily e-mail on his phone and then put it away with a smile, he tells him "You're not allowed to ever go on a three weeks vacation so far without me. Ever again"

Blaine grins and nods his acceptance of this new rule before he wraps his arms around Kurt and throws him on the bed, amidst laughter and yelping.

-x- An interlude from Blaine –x-

New York's Pride Parade is the craziest thing Blaine's ever seen in his life and each year it never fails to take his breath away. He loves it exactly because it's completely and utterly mind-blowing – it's a day when anything is possible, when everyone is valued no matter what.

Blaine has always detested when people criticized the parade because "it sent the wrong message out to the world", because "it only gave more ammunition to those who thought the LGBT community was just a bunch of insane, abnormal and flamboyant little freak sluts.". Those people were, in his opinion, committing the gross mistake of thinking this parade had anything to do with what the outside world saw or thought. This parade was not for the straight people, this parade was not about convincing straight people to like them. This parade was solely and uniquely about the LGBT community, about that community telling itself and its members that no matter how different they are, they had a place in this world. They had support, they had acceptance, and they had love. _This is not for you_, Blaine always told those people, _this is for us._

_This is us claiming our right to be simply __**be**__, whether we have your "permission" or not._

He looks around himself and he sees the world he wants to live in, the world where he's just another person, singular as he may be, but still a part of something bigger than himself.

"Isn't this beautiful?" he asks, grinning, squeezing Kurt's hand more than was probably advisable.

Kurt just laughs, "You really love this, don't you?"

Blaine beams and nods, "Whatever gave me away?"

"You look like you just got a Golden Ticket to the Chocolate Factory."

"That would also be pretty awesome." He chuckles, stopping so that their dads can catch up, "It just… it just gives me hope, you know?"

"For what?"

"Tomorrow…? The future." He smiles, "Things will get better," he says and he means it, "Things_ are_ getting better. It's not just something to placate and talk young kids out of ledges anymore. It's true. And we get to be here and see it happen in real time. Don't you think that's amazing?"

Kurt's smile is fond and completely unabashed as he just looks at Blaine for a long time before he says, "I think _you _are amazing."

Blaine throws his head back with laughter and then shoves away at Kurt, "Stop it, I mean it! You know the story behind it, right? You know what we're celebrating, here…"

"The stonewall riots."

"We're celebrating action! Action for change! Demands for change! And look at how far we've come! I think it's pretty amazing."

"We're still a far cry from perfect…" Kurt points out.

"But today we get to celebrate how far we_ have _come, and we'll worry about what's still to be done tomorrow. This day is for celebration. For _us_."

"Honestly, Blaine, be more adorable, I dare you."

"He gets it from me," a voice pulls them out of it, and they look to find their dads happily holding ice cream cones, "I know it's hard to believe, but I'm pretty adorable myself."

"Dad, please."

"No, it's true. It's how I got your mother. With my adorableness." He grins and takes a _big _chunk of ice cream and proceeds to fight the urge to spit it out, wincing slightly.

"Okay… I guess I see it now." Blaine teases, tilting his head sideways and squinting, "but your brand of adorable is a little different from mine… Yours is more along the lines of endearing idiot."

John just swallows thickly taking only the time for a deep gasp of relief before he sticks his tongue out at Blaine who laughs, "Real mature, dad.", to which John grins and starts walking, continuing on their search for a nice place to sit and watch.

Blaine follows his dad, shooting a glance to check Kurt and Burt are following, and he exchanges quick, easy smiles with them both. He's a little bit in love with watching Kurt interact with his dad.

The four of them do find and nice place to sit on a curb, and it has shade and they get to watch as the parade passes by.

Kurt makes Blaine put on sunscreen and then asks John to snap a picture of it and send it to Claire. Blaine pretended to mind and he pouted for the picture, but just as soon he forgot about it, kissing Kurt at every chance he got and blushing each time he found one of their dads watching. Both Burt and his dad would always smile, though, so he couldn't be doing anything too wrong.

By the end of the day, when the sun is setting they sit on the green grass of a park, eating lousy hot dogs for dinner and exchanging thoughts on the parade and everything about it.

When Blaine shoves the last of his food in his mouth, balling up the soiled wrapper and trying to look for a place to put it in, his dad's hand lands on his shoulder, "Blaine, could we talk for a bit?"

Blaine frowns and swallows the last bite as he nods, "Sure, dad."

He exchanges a look with Kurt who'd been mostly listening to his own dad going on and on about Lima and how backwards it still was, and then accepts his dad's hand to hoist him up and lets him guide them somewhere more private.

They sit by a small pond with grey ducks that don't look particularly well or healthy.

"I like Kurt." His dad says out of the blue.

"Oh. Good. I'm glad."

"He seems good. For you, I mean… he's… yeah." His dad looks nervous. He's rubbing his hands and staring at them, "What I mean to say is that I'm very happy to see you this happy."

"Oh!" Blaine breathes and beams, "Thank you, dad."

"And it makes me very proud to see you make him happy, too. It makes me feel like we did a good job with you, you know? You're a good man, now, and I hope I somehow helped with that. I hope I did right by you."

Blaine tries to wrap his head around the conversation but he can't. His father's kind and good, but he shows affections with gestures, with humor, with earnest smiles. Never with open, candid words – that is the one thing Blaine inherited from his mother and Cooper didn't. "I… thank you. You did do a good job, dad. You did the best job."

John chuckles and gives Blaine one of those earnest smiles he relies on so much, "I have something for you." He says reaching into his pocket and pulling out something he keeps in his hand.

"Oh, do tell." Blaine prods, bumping their shoulders together.

"As you know your mother and I celebrated our twenty fifth anniversary and we renewed our vows… and we got new white wedding bands… As per tradition."

"Yes,…?"

"I, huh, I don't know how it works with… huh, two men, but, I want you to have this." He opens his hand to reveal his simple and worn out wedding ring. To Blaine it's still the most amazing and beautiful wedding ring there ever was. As a kid he used to space out and just stare at his parents wedding rings, at how they were always there, at how, never once, did either of them go a single day without them – his dad's slightly thicker than his mother's, but otherwise just the same in its simplicity and consistency. He used to go to bed at night and wish for the chance to have one too, one day. "It… It brought me luck, maybe… in my marriage. I wanted to give you something, you know, for whenever you feel like… using it."

"Dad…!"

"It doesn't have to be Kurt, son, but… I see you two, and it feels like… you know…"

"I know." Blaine murmurs as he reaches for it, holding it between his fingers and looking at it. It's got a whole life behind it. It makes Blaine's insides turn to jelly, just thinking about the possibilities of his own happy marriage, "What do you want me to do with it, though? Do you want me to use it as an engagement ring? As my wedding ring?"

His dad shrugged, "I don't know. It's yours now… You do what feels right to you."

"I want to honor it." Blaine shakes his head, "I want to do right by it. By you. I… This is so much more than a ring, dad, I need to… use it right. I'm asking you…"

"And I'm telling you it's_ your_ choice. I don't care if you just frame it and hang it up in the bathroom. I just needed to give you something that held meaning, that held a story, and love… because… well, because I need you to know that I'm behind you, one hundred percent. Whoever you are, whoever you love, I will always support you, okay?"

"Dad…" Blaine gasps, as suddenly there's a thick lump in his throat and tears in his eyes.

"I know I wasn't always… the best with this, but…"

"Dad…!" he tilts his head and smiles through his tears.

"And I know I changed, but I never… I never_ told_ you this. So, you know, there's nothing more important to me than to see you and your brother happy, and when you are, I… I'm just proud to be your father."

"Dad!" Blaine half-laughs half-sobs and pulls him in for a tight hug.

"You knew all of that, right?" John's voice is muffled against Blaine's shoulder but he doesn't pull back.

"Of course." He breathes, squeezing tighter, "I always know that."

"Good, good." John nods as he pulls away, "You know, I'm not good at this… feelings talks, but… I needed to make sure, you know?"

"For the record, dad, I love you, and I'm happy, and I'm_ so_ proud to have you as my father."

"I just…" he sighs and takes Blaine's hand, "We miss you, when you're here… but we're so glad that you're living your life like you want to."

"I miss you guys, too, all the time."

His father takes a long look at him, before squeezing his shoulder, "You're all grown up, Honey-Bee." Blaine laughs and rolls his eyes, "When did that happen?"

"I'm still your little boy, no matter what."

"Thank goodness." His father breathes and laughs, "Now that that's settled, I'm scheduling our next feelings talk for… huh, ten years from now…? Sound good?"

Blaine laughs and shrugs, "I guess I can pencil it in."


	8. Chapter 8

**August – the month with the friendly advice**

_**Thursday, 7**__**th**__** August, 2015 – 12:23**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__you're so right_

_Make-up sex is the best._

_But I don't think we should make a habit of fighting just so we can have make up sex. I'm sure there are better ways to spice up the good, old sex life. Not that we need it, anyway._

_Love you,_

_Bee_

_Day 193 – E-mail 193_

-x-

Kurt wakes up with his mouth dry and an urgent need to drink some water. He peels himself away from Blaine, careful not to jostle him too much, and feels in the darkness for his underwear and a shirt.

He's still pulling on (Blaine's, apparently) NYU t-shirt, when he closes the door carefully behind him and flips on the living room light.

"So I take it you two aren't fighting anymore?"

Kurt jumps and practically chokes on the breath he sucks in, his heart racing, as he notices Mike on the couch, Blaine's kindle in his hand and reading glasses perched on his nose. "Jesus Christ, Mike! You scared the shit out of me."

Mike smiles, "Sorry. Got so caught up in this I couldn't even bother to turn on a light."

"You'll need new glasses soon…" Kurt admonishes as he steps towards the kitchen to get his water.

"I know." Mike nods before he turns off the kindle and puts it away, "So, fight over?"

Kurt gives him a little smile, "Whatever gave you that impression?"

"The walls may not be terribly thin, but the doors aren't soundproof." Mike shrugs, and Kurt notices Mike's iPod and ear buds on the floor by the couch.

He shrugs, "Sorry about that."

Mike shrugs too, "It's okay. I'm glad you worked it out."

"Well, it's not like we were going to break up over him _not_ going abroad for the semester. That'd be stupid."

"Yes, but then again, I already thought fighting over it was stupid enough, so what do I know?" Mike gives him a pleasant if a little cheeky smile.

"We weren't fighting over that. We were fighting over him not telling me about it and making a decision without bothering to ask what I thought." Kurt explains, as he takes a seat on the couch and pulls his feet to himself, "And it's not so much that the issue is resolved, it's just that… it's not worth going over it again, and hopefully he's learnt his lesson. He says he has."

"Yeah, but. Can I be honest here?"

"Sure."

"It was_ his_ choice." Mike says, his voice casual and not at all confrontational, "I mean, I do think he should've talked to you about it and I've given him days worth of shit over it, but the way you reacted, it didn't feel like you were mad about the omission. It felt like you were mad he'd chosen to stay."

"I… Well… I just… it's a big opportunity to just throw away…"

"He didn't _throw_ it away." Kurt squints and arches an eyebrow at that, and Mike smiles, "He considered it, made pros and cons lists, researched it thoroughly and then decided it wasn't worth it. It's what most people call an informed decision."

"Right. Even so. It feels so big."

"So you do admit that's the real problem." Mike chuckles, "The pressure his choice puts on you."

"Well… I…"

"You feel like you couldn't possibly break up with him now because he gave up a huge opportunity so he could stay here with you."

"I…'m not sure." Kurt sighs with an uncomfortable smile, "I mean, it's never crossed my mind, the idea of breaking up, and I don't think that's it at all. I really want to be with him and I don't see that changing any time soon, but it's still so… _big_ and I'm not sure I can understand giving something like this up."

Mike's still smiling the infuriatingly understanding smile of his (sometimes Kurt's convinced Blaine and Mike were meant to be twin brothers), "He's not you, Kurt. He doesn't have your priorities. He' wants success like any other guy, but his career will never be his top priority, you know that." Mike offers when Kurt seems lost for words, "I mean, even _you _said your semester in Paris wasn't all that's cranked up to be. If he values your relationship, or the opportunity to hop on a flight and see his parents every once in a while, or even his friendship to me, Tina, Sam, Wes… if he values all of that more than a new experience abroad, why should you judge him for it?"

"Right…" Kurt nods.

"Like I said, it's_ his_ choice."

"Right… I just… sometimes I'm counting down the days until we have a new fight and he throws it in my face, you know? That he gave it up for me."

"If that day comes, you throw it in his face that he made that decision without even talking to you." Mike laughs and Kurt can't help joining him, "I mean it, _do that_."

"Thanks…" he sighs with a chuckle.

Mike gives out a long reminiscent smile and tells him, "Long distance is a bitch, trust me, you're better off not going through it."

"But we'd make it through." Kurt shrugs, biting his lips and frowning, wondering if he really wants to voice this concern, "Do you think he doesn't think we could make it through?"

Mike frowns and then smiles, "Of course he knows you'd make it through, he just didn't want to _have_ to go through it. Just because you don't want to take a test, doesn't mean you're afraid you wouldn't pass it. It just means you have better things you'd rather be doing."

"Huh," Kurt considers the thought, a small weight he hadn't really noticed lifting off his stomach and letting him feel a little easier with the whole thing, "when did you get this smart?"

"I was born this way, baby." Mike winks.

"Tina is the luckiest." He gives him a little, teasing bow, "Having a true sage for a boyfriend."

"I know." Mike laughs and they fall into a small, amicable silence, "Next time I can teach you some kind of Martial Arts and fulfill all expectations."

"Ha! No, thanks!"

"Yeah, I couldn't do it anyway. I have no idea how to break a brick with a single blow of my hand. I'm a disgrace to my ancestors, I guess." He shrugs easily, Kurt rubs his shoulder for faux comfort and they fall into amicable silence.

Kurt considers this conversation for a moment. Maybe Mike has a point. Maybe it was always about pressure, and the expectations Blaine's choice put on him and on their relationship. But were those_ that_ unreasonable? Was it so unreasonable of Blaine to put their relationship (and even his friendships and relationships with other people) before an opportunity like this? In Kurt's world… maybe yes, but perhaps in Blaine's it wasn't. And Kurt absolutely loves Blaine's world – he's head over heels in love with Blaine's world. He's so head over heels, he doesn't even know what _he _would've chosen in Blaine's position. If he'd met Blaine before his semester in Paris, he's not so sure he would've gone away anymore – so why should he be upset that Blaine won't?

Was it that unreasonable for Blaine to think they were worth this level of commitment and sacrifice?

He remembers that one time he'd told Blaine _I'm a walking contradiction. I'm a hopeless romantic scared of falling in love._ Blaine had told him that he wasn't a contradiction at all, that he just hadn't met someone worth the risk and the effort.

Now he has, he absolutely has. And he will be damned if he's going to shy away from this commitment just because it gets a little real and scary sometimes.

"I'm really glad Blaine moved in with you." Kurt says, feeling so much lighter and so much clearer, "It gave me a second shot at a closer friendship with you guys, and I don't know why I ever held back. Especially with you. Have I ever thanked you for always being a real friend, even when all the other boys just… ignored me at best?"

Mike gives him a soft, kind smile; "High school was brutal for you, Kurt. No one blames you for being guarded. I'm just happy you're getting the opportunity to take down those walls."

"Thanks…" Kurt sighs with a wide smile and an urge to hug Mike, "I'm going to go pee before this gets any cheesier."

Mike laughs, a little too loudly, and pats Kurt's knee, "You do that. I should probably head to bed."

With one last shared smile Kurt hops to his feet and goes to the bathroom. He doesn't pee. He just washes his face and lets his conversation with Mike and his newfound determination in his relationship with Blaine sink in for a while.

Maybe Burt had been right in giving him that small, but so crucial piece of advice on that first day meeting Blaine's family. Maybe it wasn't even about the choices Kurt would have to make, maybe it was about the choices Blaine_ would _make, so easily and so earnestly. Maybe his dad, without knowing it, was just preparing Kurt for Blaine's point of view. The thought makes him smile. It makes him ache to go back to bed and bury himself in Blaine's arms.

Grinning, he opens the door only to find Blaine hugging Mike on his tiptoes and muttering something to his ear. Kurt doesn't move or say anything before he silently and carefully closes the door and waits another while.

When the living room is empty, he finally crosses it, turning off the light and going inside Blaine's bedroom with an easy smile.

Blaine's not pretending to be asleep – his bedside light is on, and he's sitting and very clearly waiting for Kurt.

"So you heard all that?"

Blaine nods and then smiles a little sadly, "Is that what you think I'll do? Use this as leverage against you, or something? Like I need to prove I'm more committed to this relationship than you are? Like I'm the only one doing sacrifices for us?"

"Oh… I don't know, Blaine…"

Blaine sighs deeply and hangs his head, "I guess I do that sometimes, don't I?"

"Sometimes…" Kurt concedes, sitting next to him and taking his hand.

Blaine holds on to his hand tight and makes sure to look Kurt in the eye, "I don't want you to think that I do these things so I have ammo against you when we fight."

"I know you don't." Kurt smiles.

"I genuinely didn't want to be away from my life for five whole months." Blaine says, "I _love _my life. Especially with you in it."

"Okay…"

"And I promise I'll work on my fighting skills. I promise this is the one thing I will never hold against you, ever. I'll… I mean, I'll try never to hold _anything_ I ever do out of sheer dedication and love for you against you, I'll work on my penchant for guilt-tripping… but this one especially; this one is completely off limits and entirely my responsibility. I promise."

"I appreciate that." Kurt smiles, "And I promise I'll respect the choices _you_ make about_ your _life." He kisses him, "Especially if those mean that I don't have to go through five months of only e-mails and Skype…" He pulls back enough to look Blaine in the eyes, his hands bracketing his face and his thumbs gently caressing his cheekbones, "But you have to tell me about those, too. I get to know what's going on, okay?" Blaine's smile falters for a second before he nods in agreement, "And I promise you, I am in this. I am so in this. I'm committed to you. To loving you, I promise you that." He kisses Blaine again, deeper and more purposeful, letting Blaine's mouth easily trail down to his neck.

"You know, I think a round two of make-up sex is in order." Blaine murmurs right behind Kurt's ear.

"I… yes, definitely, the more make-up sex the better! It's the best! I love it." Kurt grins letting himself fall back into the mattress and pulling Blaine down with him.

With a sound kiss to Kurt's lips Blaine pulls back enough to find Kurt's eyes and beam, "I love _you_."


	9. Chapter 9

**September – the month with grandma's furniture**

_**Sunday, 28**__**th**__** September, 2015 – 20:19**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__This is an email_

_Because I keep my promises. However stupid they may be._

_Love,_

_Bee_

_Day 235 – E-mail 235_

-x-

Kurt looks up from his magazine as his phone pings with an incoming e-mail alarm. He glances towards Blaine, who's sitting at his desk, his butt so far down his seat he's two inches away from falling off, staring listlessly at a blank word document. His dress shirt is completely rumpled and ruined, but Kurt barely has the heart to criticize him for it.

He reaches lazily for his phone on the nightstand and opens the new e-mail, chuckling as he reads over it.

"I think this one's my favorite so far, Bee."

"Yeah?" Blaine spins his chair to look at Kurt, "It's a good one right?"

"Mmm, your inspiration levels are off the charts today."

"Yes," Blaine drones, "I can hardly keep up with my buzzing mind right now."

Kurt smiles but lets Blaine turn back to his blank word document. As, finally, fingers hit keys again he looks up to find, through squinted eyes (he does not need glasses, yet, this is a reasonable distance for not being able to properly read tiny teensy words on a laptop), "congrats on the wedding, bro.". He keeps his laughter to himself as he goes back to his magazine. He flips two pages before he sighs.

"And we're sure she's not pregnant?"

Apparently it's all the excuse Blaine needs to shut his laptop down and crawl his way to his bed, "No… I mean, they wouldn't keep it a secret if she was and they certainly wouldn't rush the wedding just so the baby wouldn't be illegitimate. They're not my grandma. I think they really just didn't want to make a big fuss about the wedding."

"But this is Cooper we're talking about, he makes a big fuss about brushing his teeth."

Blaine grins, "Yes, true. But Elle's the best influence on him. She's perfect at making something good out of his, huh,_ energy_, you know? Anyway, it's not like they eloped or anything. Judging from tonight's rehearsal dinner, it's going to be a simple but beautiful day. I mean, that's the thing – if you're going to have a day revolving around Cooper – even if partially, you need to keep everything else at the bare minimum."

"Yeah, no, I know. I mean, I planned a wedding in two weeks, I know it's possible to pull off a good one in two months." Kurt considers, "It's just surprising, you know?"

"I'll be the first to admit this all happened very fast – even I know engagements usually last longer than a couple of months. But, you know, it's still fun being here for this, and I guess this way I didn't have time to build up too much excitement!"

Kurt tilts his head considering this before he smiles, "Or to write a good best man's speech."

The effect is immediate. Blaine groans and throws himself onto the bed.

Kurt coos and reaches out to pet his knee, "You still have _hours_ to write it, stop stressing."

"I can't…!" Blaine whines.

"If all else fails, you can't just make something up on the spot."

Blaine throws him a glare, "Yes, that's a brilliant idea. Improvise. Sure."

"Sing him a song."

Blaine considers this, "Not such a bad idea… But. Very cheesy."

"It's a wedding, it's supposed to be cheesy." Kurt shrugs, and Blaine rolls to his stomach and continues whining and groaning, "Bee?"

"I'm sorry, I'm having a meltdown." Blaine lifts his face, frowning and pouting.

Kurt scrunches up his nose and gives him a fond smile, ducking down for a quick kiss to his nose, "You're blocked. The harder you think about it, the worse it'll get. You should just forget about it for a while."

"How?" he half sobs, dramatically throwing his face into his arms, like a five year old having a tantrum on the supermarket candy aisle.

Kurt considers it for a moment before smirking, "Fulfilling one of your lifelong dreams." Kurt hops off the bed and immediately starts putting on his dress shoes.

"What?"

"Put some shoes on, come on!" Kurt grabs Blaine's hand and yanks him out of the bed, before going to the closet and pulling his dress shirt and their jackets back out.

"Kurt?" Blaine frowns as he hesitates before slipping on his shoes and laces them up. Kurt holds Blaine's jacket out for him and once Blaine takes and slowly puts it on, Kurt's off pocketing cell phones, keys and wallets, "Where are we going? The dress rehearsal's still going on, I don't think we're supposed to leave…"

"Oh, but we're supposed to sneak up to your bedroom for you to write your best man speech the night before the wedding?"

"But the guests are still here!"

"Exactly!" Kurt winks, before takes Blaine's hand and guides him downstairs, "Try to be discreet, and get the car keys." He whispers.

"The car keys?!" Blaine frowns.

"Yes, the car keys." Kurt says before he disappears into crowded living room. He maneuvers the crowd easily, exchanging quick smiles with the few people who know him, and then slipping in the coatroom unnoticed. He finds the bag he needs at once – it's easily the ugliest and most démodé. Once he has what he was looking for he gets back, finding Blaine awkwardly making small talk with one of his brother's colleagues. Kurt can't help smiling at how stupidly disheveled he looks – tie gone, shirt completely rumpled, shoes barely tied… One might think they'd been up to something upstairs.

One would be wrong.

But not for long.

With his most polite, fake smile Kurt approaches the two with his trademark innocent tone, "Hello, I'm sorry, would you mind terribly if I stole him away?" he says as he loops his arm through Blaine's.

The man smiles politely and shakes his head, "Not at all."

Kurt doesn't bother thanking him as he directs Blaine towards the front door. "You got the car keys?"

"Yes, but…"

Kurt makes sure no one's paying too much attention before he slips them through the front door, and directs them to the Anderson's car.

Once he's seated on the passenger side, with the seatbelt strapped and Blaine's hands hovering uncertainly over the steering wheel he grins, "Okay, start the car, and let's go visit your grandma's house."

"What?!"

"Let's go have sex on your grandmother's furniture."

"Kurt!" Blaine gasps.

"Blaine." Kurt retorts, a beat of amused silence before he rolls his eyes and smirks, "She's here and she's going to spend the night here, god knows why because she literally lives fifteen minutes away, and you need to get your mind off speech writing or you're never going to get it right. So, let's go fulfill your life's dream."

"I…" Blaine stares at him completely speechless, before he shakes his head, blinks twice, says, "Yeah, okay, let's go!" and starts the car.

-x-

They start on the dining room table, stark naked. They move on to the kitchen counter, stark naked. They make a speedy stop by the front door, just to make sure it's secure and locked without any risk of falling off its hinges, because _you just never know_, stark naked. They finally settle for the couch, stark naked and dripping with sweat.

Afterwards, Blaine's lying on his back panting, one leg hoisted over the back of the couch and the other melting its way to the floor, as Kurt sits between his legs, a hand softly stroking Blaine's thigh, as he observes the small, forming stain of come that accidently made its way to the middle cushion.

"Do you think we should wash this out?"

Blaine cranes his neck a little, squinting before he shrugs "Can't see it."

"Sit up and you will, your dick's blocking the view."

Blaine bites his laughter away and does as he's told, "Oh, and what a nice view it is." Kurt could say exactly the same as he looks over the significantly larger portion of come now dribbling down Blaine's stomach.

"So, do we wash it?" he asks again, and Blaine gives it a considering look before he stands up and walks away. "Ugh. I love it when you do that!" Kurt calls after him, eyes trained on that ass (still a little red from Kurt's hands grabbing it), until the very moment it disappears behind the door to the bathroom.

Blaine comes back with a roll of toilet paper on his hand and his stomach wiped clean. He rips out a small portion of paper and dabs away at the couch, leaving a stain, but not particularly noticeable, before he drops himself back on it, and lets his head rest against Kurt's shoulder.

"Feeling accomplished?" Kurt asks, burying his fingers in sweat slick curls.

"You have no idea."

"You know the neighbors probably heard the whole thing."

"That's exactly the point of an open window." Blaine purrs, to which Kurt kisses him again, before he stands up and goes to find his bag in the heap of hastily discarded stuff and clothes by the living room door.

"I also love it when you do that…" Blaine's voice trails softly and lustful after him as Kurt bends down, to search for his phone, and he emerges smirking.

"I know…" he murmurs taking a small detour to flip on the light before he sits back down, pulling his legs up to rest on Blaine's, and then bring their heads close together, holding his phone out, "Say cheese." He takes a few pictures of them, making sure there's a few headshots only.

Then he swipes over them and chooses the one where he's kissing a grinning Blaine on the cheek and you can't see anything from the neck down and says, "And this is how you de-throne your dad as the worst grandma-gift giver." He smiles, "Frame it, wrap it up and save it for Christmas."

"Holy shit…"

"Yes, that's right, post coital photo of her grandson in her living room, she's gonna love it."

She won't actually be able to tell it's post coital – their faces are still a little flushed and their hairs are disheveled, but for all she'll know they're wearing the t-shirts from two days ago, when they first arrived for Cooper's wedding and Blaine was absolutely obligated to attend her little tea party and conveniently forgot that his "gay lover" wasn't all that welcome.

Personally, Kurt thinks they look absolutely gorgeous, and he plans on framing a copy for himself.

"So… Life long dream and New Year resolution: check and check." Kurt grins.

"Kurt Hummel…" Blaine says with the most caring, earnest eyes, and awed voice, "You are the love of my life."

All of the cheekiness of the moment fades away as Kurt's smirk turns into a small imperceptible gasp, and he pulls Blaine in for a kiss, needing to show how much that feeling, that knowledge is returned.

"Fuck, Blaine…" he gasps, resting their foreheads together, "I love you so, so much!"

"Yeah?" Blaine breathes with a smile.

"Yeah!"

"I'm the love of your life?"

"No doubt about it." he nods before he kisses him again and again and again.

"You know…" Blaine pulls back smirking, "We can't go home like this… smelling like this, looking like this…"

"Oh?"

"We need to at least take a shower,…" he murmurs, lips easily finding that magical spot right below Kurt's ear.

"At the very least." Kurt moans, grasping Blaine's hair and crashing their lips together, before he pulls them to their feet and they scramble, giggling like children, towards the bathroom.

-x-

Blaine clinks his knife against his glass, miraculously not breaking it as his hand is shaking beyond control, "Could I have a moment of your attention, please?" he calls out at the room of people surrounding him. It's not a big wedding, but it's not small by any means, and Kurt knows he has got to be nervous about it – Blaine's not used to speaking, as opposed to performing, in front of crowds like this. A hush falls over the room and Blaine seems to go a little pale, "It's, huh, it's time for the best man speech, I guess." He says, his voice breaking a little at the end, and Kurt puts a comforting hand on the back of his thigh – the only place no one will see his hand. Blaine shoots him a glance and Kurt winks and smiles.

Blaine clears his throat, "I'm Cooper's baby brother, for any of you who don't know. I honestly have no idea why he asked me to be his best man, because there are so many humiliating stories I could be telling all of you right now, and I think he really didn't think that one through. Like, for instance, that time when I was watching the end of his very first date through my window and I got to see him fall spectacularly flat on his face when he went in for the good night kiss." Laughter, "Or when a five year old ran screaming for his mother because there was a bad, bad alien in the hospital corridor – granted, he was a bald twelve year old kid who liked wearing neon green pajamas at the time." More laughter, "or when he got kicked out of the movies for insisting that whatever movie we were watching _should _be a musical and proceeding to make up the songs on the spot. And perform them." Even more laughter. "Or, you know, when I found a tape full of recordings he made of himself lip-syncing and dancing to every single N'Sync song and they were all labeled 'audition'." Riotous laughter.

"What I'm trying to illustrate here is that my brother is a little bit insane. He's… _special_." He adds with a teasing smirk, "We all are – our family has its own special brand of crazy, and it's the best thing in the world if you ask me. I love it. I love _us_. Growing up I was always scared that once I went out into the world it would suck me dry and I'd end up just… normal. I confided this fear in my brother, when I was getting ready to leave for college, and he told me it was all about choices, and that everyday we would have to make a choice about who we wanted to be and never compromise on it. That we had to surround ourselves with people who love that version of us – the true, unabashedly crazy version of us. The best version of us. Someone who won't just tolerate our crazy. Someone who will celebrate it. Who will love it. Who can be a part of it, maybe even the_ best_ part of it.

"Elle," he smiles with a deep breath, "He is _crazy_ about you. Welcome." Blaine raises his glass and takes a long drink, as everyone around does the same, before being pulled into a tight hug from Cooper.

Kurt tries to be discreet about wiping his tears away, but when Blaine sits down and looks at him expectantly his eyebrows raise "You're crying."

Kurt rolls his eyes, "Shut up."

"I did good?" Blaine beams, hopeful.

"When we get married, you're writing your own vows." Kurt informs him, and he watches Blaine's face for any sign that he might've pushed too far, barely daring to breathe or swallow.

Instead Blaine's smile softens and he sighs and says, "Of course."

The maid of honor starts her speech, and they try to look at her and pay attention – Blaine lets Kurt wrap his arms around his shoulder and pull him close, back to chest, and so they fail spectacularly at the latter.

Kurt brushes his lips against Blaine's temple and his heart stammers with the way Blaine leans into his touch. "So, one more promise to keep…" he whispers.

Blaine leans a little closer and nods, "Yap."

It's not a proposal, Kurt knows, but it is a promise, and definitely the one he wants to keep the most.


	10. Chapter 10

**October – the month with the one that they want**

_**Monday, 27**__**th**__** October, 2015 – 23:07**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__I haven't seen you in ages_

_(3 days IS the new definition of ages). Please, please either come over or meet me after school or something. I promise we can study together. I won't distract you too much. I need to see your beautiful face, that's all. _

_With yearning love,_

_Bee_

_Day 273 – E-mail 273_

-x-

Kurt is buzzing with energy by the time he's putting the finishing touches on his Halloween costume. He squints at himself in the mirror and tries to see if he's missed anything. He combs through his hair one last time before he slips the comb in his leather jacket pocket, pushes his tight jeans up, grabs his keys, phone and wallet and leaves with the swagger of Danny Zuko.

Or at least he thinks it's Danny Zuko. But how many costumes could it have been with the directions: Black leather jacket, white T-shirt, tight blue jeans, leather belt, black boots, hair pulled back with gel…?

He's still not sure if he should've trusted Blaine, but at least for now he's looking far from stupid on the subway – it could certainly be much, much worse.

The whole thing had started a week ago, when Blaine had sent him an e-mail declaring he'd had the perfect idea for their coordinated Halloween costumes, but that he wanted it to be a surprise. Kurt had refused, of course.

But the thing about Blaine Anderson…? He always gets his way.

And it's not like Kurt had time to come up with his own Halloween costume idea and execute it as easily as this.

So now it's the 31st of October and Kurt is dressed as Danny Zuko, fully expecting to find Blaine dressed as another one of the greasers alongside Mike and Sam, and maybe even Wes (Blaine _would _look amazing as a greaser, mind you – tight jeans), and he'll definitely file this away as one of the times he shouldn't have trusted Blaine, no matter how much he plead. It's their first Halloween as a couple, and the stupid boy chooses a _group _costume?! Either that or Blaine's going for a romance between the bad boy and the school nerd?

Then again, Kurt concedes as his eyes land on a guy unhappily dressed in a giant pink bunny suit, it could've been worse.

Besides, after almost a week without seeing Blaine, Kurt could be wearing a potato sack, and he'd still not care enough to be angry over it, so long as he got to spend the night with Blaine.

He puts a chewing gum in his mouth before he knocks on Blaine's door, a full half hour before other guests are supposed to arrive, and then leans over the frame and adopts his best Danny Zuko pose.

The result is that he nearly falls flat on his face, muscles everywhere failing, when Blaine opens the door in a skintight, belted, leather cat suit, heels, his curls flowing completely free, red lipstick and black eyeliner on.

"Hey there, gorgeous." Blaine drawls, "Just the one that I wanted."

Kurt's gasping for breath.

From inside the living room Tina starts cackling.

"Blaine…!" Kurt finally manages, IQ having apparently dropped beyond any hope of recovery.

Blaine grins his best mischievous smile, winks and drawls back, "Kurt…!"

"Blaine!"

"Do come in." Blaine laughs, stepping aside, and walking back towards the couch, ankles entirely too wobbly, "Uff," he says dropping his ass unceremoniously on the couch and propping his red heel clad feet on the coffee table, "These things are going after the first ten minutes of the party."

"Oh my god."

"So…" Mike's voice comes from his left and Kurt looks to find him pulling a beer out of the fridge, "Is it a good short-circuit or a bad one? Think carefully before you say anything, cuz Tina and I have money on this."

Kurt's jaw is still pretty much slack and useless as he looks over at Blaine, stretched over the couch, hands lazily behind his head grinning, "Oh, I know that look," Blaine says, way too amused, "it's _good_."

"What the fuck?!" Kurt finally manages.

"Not so good…" Mike counters with a hopeful smile.

"I honestly thought you wanted all the boys to be greasers."

"I know." Blaine cackles, all too pleased and amused with himself, "That's what makes this so beautiful. After all this time, you still underestimate me, and I can totally count on it."

"Jesus…" Kurt breathes, "Unbelievable."

"So… Kurt, good or bad?" Tina insists, still grinning, and Kurt finally notices that they're dressed as Alice and the Mad Hatter.

He points between them, "You two are a little bit creepy and disturbing." Tina blows him a kiss, and Kurt laughs, "What's the thought process behind this, Blaine. I truly want to know."

Blaine grins, and his smugness tonight is really doing something to Kurt, "Well, I'll admit I was pretty drunk when I came up with this and Grease was on TV… But then I couldn't stop thinking about it." he shrugs, "Let's be honest, you have the body to pull off Danny, and I have the bad perm to pull off Sluttly Sandy."

That just about does it for Kurt. He takes a deep breath, puts his hands firmly on his hips, and sighs, "Well, I guess I better shape up…"

"Cuz I need a man..?" Blaine grins.

"And your heart is set on me, yes." Kurt rolls his eyes, "And you're the one that I want, and all of that, now let's go to your bedroom, cuz I need to kiss that lipstick off you and Alice is too young to watch that." Kurt grabs Blaine's hand and all but hauls him off the couch and to his bedroom.

"So that's a good short-circuit, right?" Tina calls after them, and Kurt only has time to give them a thumbs up (Tina's laughter is victorious) before slamming the door closed and pressing Blaine against it, clashing their lips together and burying his hands in product free hair. He could growl with contentment.

"Fuuck…" Blaine whimpers as Kurt releases his mouth, to drag lips, tongue and teeth over his neck. Blaine's arms come around Kurt shoulders to pull him closer, as his ass lifts off the door, pressing their hips together. Kurt takes the chance to slide his hands down, and grab on strongly, "Fuck, fuck, wait." Blaine mutters, "For real?"

"What?" Kurt frowns, pulling back, utterly confused.

"Sex now? Cuz it's gotta be quick." Blaine's already completely breathless, lipstick ruined and smudged all over – and if that's not the hottest thing Kurt's ever seen… "People will start arriving soon and this actually took a lot of time and effort." He finishes with a small, guilty smile.

Kurt laughs, and kisses him again, "I'll be sure to make it quick," he says before he reaches around Blaine to zip the cat suit down, yanking the whole thing down, below his waist, and drops to his knees. Blaine's looking down on him with dark, wide eyes, ruined lips and a heaving chest. Kurt loves the way his eyes close and he sighs, throwing his head back against the door. With a grin he starts pushing the fabric the rest of the way down.

"Wait, wait." Blaine interrupts suddenly, hand on Kurt's wrist. "Shoes." He adds, before he flicks his feet, one at a time, throwing the high-heeled shoes away.

Kurt bursts out laughing, burying his face on the side of Blaine's hip.

"Okay, you can keep going now." Blaine says, though he's laughing too.

-x-

"Chin up," Kurt directs, finger hooked under Blaine's chin, "Open your mouth a little bit." he fights off the urge to kiss or run his tongue over the trail of red the lipstick leaves on Blaine's lips, "When she gets here she'll undoubtedly tell you, so I might as well just get it over with. Did you know I once made Rachel think dressing like this would be a good idea for a first date?"

Blaine smiles and Kurt pulls the lipstick away before it does any damage, "Confession time. I was drunk, and there was Grease on the TV, but actually we decided to put it on, because Rachel was telling me all about that lovely tale."

"Ohh…"

"Yeah."

"When was this? I don't remember leaving you alone with beverages and Rachel."

"That night we were supposed to have dinner at the loft? You couldn't make it. Rachel showed up, we didn't have enough to eat, too much to drink, and next thing I know I'm asleep on your bed and you're curling in with me…"

"Ohhh, yeah! I loved that night." Kurt smiles as he considers the final result on Blaine's new coat of make-up. It might actually look even better now – although maybe that's the post-coital glow.

"I love any night that ends with us sharing a bed." Blaine beams, pulling Kurt's down by the collar of his T-shirt, and kissing him soundly on the mouth.

"Exactly."

"Got a little red on you…" Blaine chuckles, wiping a thumb over Kurt's lip and then letting his hand trail to his cheek, to the back of his neck, the back of his shoulder, until he's pulling Kurt into his arms and they're hugging a little too tightly, "What if I just spent the whole night like this?"

"I wouldn't complain." Kurt sighs into the crook of Blaine's neck and clings a little tighter.

They stay like that much longer – probably too long, because the doorbell rings and Tina bangs on the bedroom door and says, "Don't forget you're a host, too, Blaine. Get dressed and come be social."

They peel themselves away from each other reluctantly and Blaine gives Kurt a smile that's equal parts earnest, loving, and longing. Kurt takes his hand, squeezes once and kisses his cheek, "Come on… Don't forget, I'm staying in your bed tonight."

"Thank god…" Blaine groans, honest gratitude seeping through beneath the good-natured teasing tone.

He puts his shoes back on as Kurt opens the door and steps aside to let Blaine make his well-deserved grand entrance (even if only Sam and Santana have arrived). When he drapes himself over the doorframe, Kurt can't help laughing at the stupefied faces.

"Duuuude!" Sam gasps.

Blaine grins, "You'd do me."

"Turn around." Santana says, and Blaine does, "Yeah, _I'_d do you."

"_I'm_ doing him, nobody else." Kurt informs the room calmly, and Blaine smiles longingly, batting his eyelashes and tilting his head adorably.

"Time to start the music!" Tina cuts in, happily prancing towards the stereo.

More guests start arriving, and each time Blaine's costume remains the highlight of the night. Wes spends at least five straight minutes laughing, before finishing up with "I think I just peed a little…" and jogging to the bathroom. The whole thing's just making Kurt have one of those nights where he falls in love all over again, and he actually can't seem to leave Blaine's side for more than two minutes at a time – which Blaine doesn't seem to mind at all, kissing him every time he comes back as if they hadn't seen each other in years.

"I'm going to get my last beer of the night," Blaine tells him unwinding his arms from around Kurt's neck, "You want one?"

"Why last?" Kurt frowns – it's still early. It's still way too early for Blaine to stop drinking.

"You're working tomorrow, you can't get hangover, so I'm trying to be solidary!" Blaine grins, hands on Kurt's chest squeezing happily.

"Ohhhh…!" Kurt gasps, laughing and taking Blaine's hands to wind them around his waist and pull him close, "I don't have work tomorrow." He grins, "They must know better than to make interns work after Halloween night, so they gave all of us the day off."

Blaine's eyes widen and his face breaks into an ecstatic grin, "We get a whole day together?!"

Kurt squints his eye, "You have classes!"

"I have one class, and I can either skip it or sleep through it. it's at four…!"

"Blaine…"

"No, I'm serious, come on!" Blaine starts moving them towards the kitchen, "It's a stupid class and I really don't need it because it's all in the reader, and I was already thinking of skipping because cleaning the apartment's gonna be a bitch. Don't rain on my parade. Let's get plastered together and spend tomorrow hangover in my bed!"

Kurt gives him a considering look before grabbing Blaine's face and kissing him, "Tonight we celebrate!" he announces.

"What?" Blaine chases his kiss.

"Time together!"

Blaine nods and turns toward the fridge where he pokes around the back for a while before emerging, not with two beers, but with a bottle of slightly expensive champagne.

"Why do you have that?" Kurt gasps, immediately reaching for it.

Blaine's smile wavers only a millimeter – something only Kurt would ever notice – "I bought it for our ten month anniversary date… you know, the one you had to cancel."

"Oh."

Blaine rolls his eyes at the way Kurt deflates and grabs him by the jacket pressing their lips together, "You're here now, let's celebrate!"

"Let's!" Kurt laughs a little, letting Blaine move them so Kurt's hugging him from behind while he hovers over the skink to open the bottle.

-x-

"Rachel needs you." Blaine announces as he plops himself on the couch, tipsy but not drunk, after returning from a trip to the bathroom.

"What? Why?" Kurt frowns and Blaine shrugs and makes a noncommittal noise that Kurt's entirely too sure is a Sam Evans original.

"She's in my bedroom, for some reason, with a beer and a cell phone and it might be boy trouble. I don't know." He kisses Kurt sloppily on the cheek, "Kurt Hummel to the rescue, go!"

Kurt doesn't even startle at the hand slapping his ass as he gets off the couch and goes in search of Rachel. As promised he finds her on Blaine's bed staring at her phone like it personally offended her.

"You called for me?" He drawls, leaning against the doorframe.

"Close the door and read this!" she urges before she thrusts her phone towards Kurt. He finds it open on a text conversation, and he reads over most of it before he looks up at her with a quirked eyebrow, "So?"

"What does that even_ mean_?!"

Kurt sighs.

-x-

It's the sound of Karaoke that finally draws Rachel out of her absolutely urgent text message drama. Kurt takes two minutes of lying on the bed staring at the ceiling and sighing before he follows her back into the mess of people in the living room area, sadly stone cold sober. He tries to find Blaine but he's already got a mic in his hand, Mike and Wes in back up position.

A strange build up noise starts and then Blaine's taking the mic to his mouth and muttering "Boys call you sexy, Boys call you sexy, And you don't care what they say. See, every time you turn around, They screaming your name." It's vaguely familiar, and Kurt's brain is whirring up trying to place this as he repeats the verse, Mike and Wes Yeah'ing and Hmm'ing.

"Now, I've got a confession!" Blaine sings and it clicks and Kurt's scrambling for his phone, trying to open the camera as fast as humanely possible, "When I was young I wanted attention, (ha ha ha ha) And I promised myself that I'd do anything, (ha ha ha ha) Anything at all for them to notice me!"

Kurt's biting his lip, keeping most of his laughter in check, as Blaine dances on wobbly heels and the three boys belt out "When I grow up, I wanna be famous, I wanna be a star, I wanna be in movies!"

The three of them are pretty much killing the song – if t weren't for the costumes, this would pretty much be stage worthy which surprises Kurt, given the song choice and everything about it. But then again, it isn't a Blaine performance if he's not making a "girls'" song sound like it was written specifically for him.

Kurt would've killed to see this in high school, to see someone else cross gender boundaries, and own it.

He makes sure to holler and applaud extra loud when they finish, dramatic poses and all, and flounces over, phone in hand, recording already replaying, "I take it back, this is what you should give your grandma for Christmas!" he tells Blaine, who barely stops to look, and instead grabs Kurt's hand pulling him back to the center of the living room, and grabs the mic from Mike's hand.

"Come on!" he says, "We got a mandatory song to sing!" before he starts shuffling on his iPod.

Kurt rolls his eyes but relents, not even needing to hear the opening chords before he's going on about electrifying chills, and shaping up.

Much like Rachel, Blaine's not the easiest person to pull away from Karaoke, but Kurt manages with a few well placed and eager kisses, and then Blaine's trailing after him like a lost puppy and forgetting all about the twenty songs he wanted to sing tonight. Instead, he's wrapping himself around Kurt and murmuring, "I would drag my balls through a field of cut glass and dip them in salted lemon juice, just for the chance of listening to an old recording of one single snore from you."

Kurt quirks an eyebrow, while Blaine grins proudly, before he asks, "Who taught you that?"

Blaine's flushed red, alcohol and the rush of performance, no matter how small, making his cheeks pink and pretty, "It's not hard to guess…"

Kurt sighs and looks around them before he spots him, dressed as a late, decadent Elvis, "Puckerman! Keep your filthy pickup lines away from my boyfriend!", to which Puck just gives him a wink and a thumbs up, and Blaine laughs.

"His version was worse." He confides before leaning in and saying, "Farts…"

"Ohhhkay." Kurt sighs, "Don't you ever use that pickup line on me ever again." He says, "Or anyone else for that matter."

Blaine kisses him, "I just thought it was funny, that's all."

"You're drunk, you think everything's funny." Kurt teases, pulling him closer as Tina starts crooning something new, great and sexy.

"Mmmmm." Blaine nods in agreement, laying his head on Kurt's shoulder, his left arm pulling tight across Kurt's back, and their pelvises aligned in their movements, "This isn't funny… this is hot." Blaine whispers after a while, sounding more sober than Kurt would've thought. He pulls back just enough to find Blaine's lips and kiss him. They share lazy kisses as their dancing mellows out to swaying on the spot, hands travelling places and finding purchase.

Blaine pulls back, "You know what's red and bad for your teeth?" he says in a hushed, sinful voice.

Kurt shakes his head, frowning slightly.

"A brick." He says seriously, before bursting out laughing 2.5 seconds later.

"Jesus Christ, Blaine, it's likehumph-" Kurt's cut off by Blaine's lips over his and he gives into the kiss easily.

When the song changes to something they can't really dance to they forego any pretense to it, and just lean against the closest wall, Blaine towering over Kurt for once.

"Did you finish the champagne…?" Kurt murmurs between nips to Blaine's earlobe.

Blaine shakes his head, dipping down to run his teeth lightly over the wet skin of Kurt's neck, "I put the rest of it in the fridge – there's still a good bit left."

Kurt smirks and pulls Blaine a little closer, "Guess we'll have an after party of our own, then."

Blaine pulls back to grin and kiss Kurt on the mouth, "You don't want to start on it now?" he pouts, "because if you don't, we gotta stop. You know this cat suit isn't really forgiving, and one more kiss from you and my penis will be making an appearance at this party."

Kurt laughs, "You have a very nice penis, it's very likeable."

Blaine smiles with a small flush, "Yes, but I prefer it if you're the only one seeing it."

"So do I…" Kurt muses, "I feel like if we disappeared everyone would know where to and we wouldn't get five minutes of peace, with all the banging on the door and words of encouragement." He chuckles, thinking of the time they had indeed been naïve enough to cut their public festivities short and retired to Blaine's bedroom, only to be completely unable to carry anything out, on account of everyone else making sure they didn't get a second of peace and quiet.

Blaine leans in for another kiss, "I'm going to activate the fire alarm…" he says, and Kurt laughs, pulling him closer.

"We can just stay here, like this, until everyone leaves…"

"I think it'll be a while and these heels are killing me…" Blaine kisses his cheek, "Let's go socialize, come on…" he takes Kurt's hand and leads them to the couch where Quinn and Mercedes are having a spirited discussion about TV shows that Blaine and Kurt easily get into.

-x-

Like Blaine predicted the party takes a long time before winding down – the karaoke lasts another couple of hours, and then comes the "douchebags with guitars phase", lead, of course, by Sam and Blaine, and finally the random conversations and "I'm nearly falling asleep" part of the night, after which everyone starts making feeble attempts at helping to clean up, easily deterred by Tina's "Don't worry about it.", and saying "In that case, I'd better go…"

It's at this point that Blaine makes his way, barefoot, to the fridge and comes back with a half empty bottle of champagne and a big smile on his face. Kurt accepts his hand to help him get up, from where he was sitting on the floor, near the open window, enjoying the fresh air, and doesn't let go as they disappear into Blaine's room, wordlessly closing the door behind himself and enjoying how everyone's too tired to tease them about it. Blaine takes a long sip, before handing the bottle back to Kurt, who drinks, thirsty.

"So… take two, now with time for foreplay…?" Blaine murmurs, already moving close and dragging the teasing tip of his tongue over the tight tendon of Kurt's neck.

"You know it, love." He murmurs, tipping the bottle over Blaine's lips and watching as his throat bobs and a few drops spill over, dribbling over his chin, "All the time…" he kisses those drops clean, "Ten perfect months…"

"Let's never stop…" Blaine takes the bottle away, taking it with him as kneels, and pushes against Kurt's hips until he's dropping to the bed, and Blaine's taking his shoes off with one hand and massaging the inside of his thigh with another.

"Never…"


	11. Chapter 11

**November – the month with the mutual benefit**

_**Friday, 14**__**th**__** November, 2015 – 22:46**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Apology_

_Maybe one day I'll actually deserve you. I don't know. God. I don't know why I did that. I should've stopped talking to him the moment I knew you were uncomfortable. Of course he doesn't mean anything to me, and I never even for one second considered the thought of cheating or even flirting back. And I wasn't scoping out the field, or experimenting, or checking if I "still got it". __**But**__ I knew he didn't have friendship on his mind and I still agreed to coffee and for the life of me I still can't figure out why I did that. I mean, I can… but I'm going to be disgusted with myself if I put it into words._

_I know you'll forgive me, Kurt, and I'm so thankful for that – the same way I'm thankful everyday for the fact that, somehow, you love me. But I don't want you to think I'm just going to forget about this or whatever. I'm beyond committed to you and this relationship, and I'll always want to be better at it, and for you. Everyday I'm learning to be better for you – or at the very least I'm trying. I promise I am._

_To quote something you once wrote, "We're so good for each other."_

_Thank you for being in my life, and if I ever take you for granted, do me a favor and slap me across the face or something._

_I can't say it enough._

_I love you,_

_Blaine_

_Day 292 – E-mail 292_

-x-

"I don't know, Kurt," Rachel says as she wraps her scarf around her neck, "I think you're blowing this out of proportion."

Kurt quirks his eyebrow, "How so?"

"Well, it was just a cup of coffee, and you said it yourself, Blaine didn't look like he was flirting back. Come on, you think he'd cheat on you with some kid two years younger than him and a bad haircut?"

"Rachel, it's not that I think he'd cheat-"

"So there you go. Blowing it out of proportion." She shrugs before she leans over, kisses him on the cheek and announces, "I gotta go now, I have the auditorium booked for me, myself and I, and it's just two hours, I can't waist any minute of it. I need to rehearse and hear myself in that space! Don't forget the showcase is in three weeks!" she rattles off as she heads out the loft and finally closes the door behind her.

Kurt stares after her, rage building in his chest. Typical Rachel: Kurt comes home with a crisis and she blows him off to rehearse her showcase performance _alone_. Maybe he should blow off her showcase.

He sighs and shakes his head. He's got bigger problems right now. He's got Blaine problems.

He rubs his hands over his face and takes a deep breath. He can't help replaying it in his head. Surprising Blaine in his favorite coffee shop ("It's a day late, but we can still celebrate the anniversary of his first e-mail!" he'd told himself when he was hurrying the last few errands he had to run that day before leaving work in time to catch Blaine after his class) only to find him so very well accompanied.

He was going to take Blaine out to dinner, maybe even to a movie, and definitely invite himself over for an adult slumber party, and instead he told him he needed to get home, gave him a fast, _stupid_ kiss and bolted out of there with angry tears in his eyes and pretending not to hear as Blaine called out his name.

Kurt doesn't even know where to begin thinking about this. Rachel is sort of right: Blaine _wasn't_ cheating on him, nor would he. He was simply having coffee with some younger, wide-eyed kid that is so very clearly head over heels in love with Blaine – or at least with the glimpses he gets of Blaine walking down NYU's corridors.

Even the thought that Blaine was leading him on was feeble. Kurt had heard enough of their stilted conversations over the semester – including the first one, at the very start of it, where the kid had come over under the guise of borrowing old notes from Blaine. Each and every time the boy had approached him while in Kurt's presence Blaine had made a point of introducing Kurt as his boyfriend, "This is Kurt, my boyfriend." or "You remember Kurt, my boyfriend?", or "Sorry, Kyle, but you'll have to excuse us, cuz the boyfriend and I have a date tonight and we're on a schedule for our reservations, but I'll see you around."

Or tonight's, "Hi, Kurt! What are you doing here? Wow, this is the best! Speak of the devil, I was just telling Kyle here how much I miss you!" (Kyle did not look happy, at all)

And despite all of that, it still makes Kurt uncomfortable that Blaine would agree to coffee with the guy when they'd had conversations about this.

It's not that Kurt's a very jealous boyfriend. He likes to think he's reasonable. Obviously, he knows Blaine's an attractive man, who draws some attention – and Kurt's mostly okay with it, because Blaine never shies away from telling people he's off limits – the problem, however, starts when the guys can't take a hint and don't stop pursuing his boyfriend.

And it's not too much to ask that said boyfriend not agree to coffee with said guys, is it? No matter how platonic said boyfriend's interests are.

His phone pings with a new text.

_Blaine: I know you're upset, don't hide it. I deserve it, anyway. Fuck. Would it be okay for you to come over so we can talk and I can apologize? Or let me come over there?_

He can't help smiling a little, but he still needs to wrap his head around things, or it might do more harm than good seeing Blaine right now.

_Kurt: I need a little bit of time to think about what I want to say to you, and what I hope to hear from you. We'll talk tomorrow, or soon, I promise. I love you._

_Blaine: Whatever you need. We'll be okay? I love you so much._

_Kurt: Yeah._

Kurt sighs and lets his phone slide out of his hand towards the flat, empty surface of the table. His hand itches. He picks it back up again, unlocks it and opens his e-mails.

There's still no new daily mail from Blaine, but he knows it won't be long, and he knows it'll be one of those remarkable apologies that only Blaine knows how to write. The thought does make him smile and he starts to scroll up his e-mails, like he always does when he needs to remind himself that he has Blaine now, this miraculous thing in his life.

_Subject: Dinner tonight?_

_I'll cook, I'll do the dishes, I'll do anything, just promise me you can be there, for even just two hours._

_I love you and I miss seeing your face,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: I got news!_

_Exciting news! News that definitely warrant kissing and making out!_

_I'll see you when you get off. I'll be the guy bouncing with excitement outside your office doors._

_Love,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: I maintain my opinion that your curtain system is silly_

_What privacy? I mean, I get that it provides some privacy, but Rachel still heard everything going on last night, poor thing._

_Anyways, no regrets._

_Also, taking this opportunity to remind you that I absolutely worship and adore your body._

_With temporarily (but never completely ;) ) satiated love,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: wow, your boss is scary_

_Maybe I could send her some flowers too and she wouldn't be jealous and take it out on your flowers? Or maybe I shouldn't have sent flowers to your workplace because that's apparently become unprofessional…? I'm sorry I'm an idiot. But at least I'm_ your _idiot…?_

_Please, tell me you still love me even after I made your boss sneeze all over your desk and scream at you for having flowers in the office! I'm taking the fact that you sent me a picture the bouquet, your middle finger and your boss's back as some sort of positive feedback, but I'm still fearful._

_I love you,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: If you like Piña Coladas_

_Come over for dinner. Mike, Tina and I are having a themed Piña Colada night, and we would greatly appreciate your company :D_

_Pretty, pretty please?_

_Love,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: I'm so proud of you_

_For getting that curricular internship everybody was craving. But I can't help but hate it sometimes. Don't worry, I understand. Fashion emergencies are important, I know._

_And anyway, someone once told me that that restaurant was overrated. We're probably better off skipping it._

_Make it up to me, though. Come over when you're done – whatever hours those might be. I'll keep some leftovers in the microwave for you, and then I need you with me in my bed._

_With yearning love,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: you should read this script_

_I'm telling you. It's insane. It's so bad, it's hilarious. I can't believe this is what kids these days are subjected to. It's terrible. I wouldn't let my kid watch this if I was paid._

_Funny enough, though, I am paid to do it. Sometimes when I'm reading this scripts I feel a little bit like a sellout – lending my voice to such crappy material, but then I remember your wisdom and your plan and the inevitability of me voicing a Disney character, and I sigh and get in that studio and do it anyway. _

_It's a good thing, too. Today one of the producers came and talked to me, said they're coming up with a new project and she basically made me promise to audition. It sounds much better and much cooler! Slow and steady wins the race, right?_

_Anyway, waiting to go in the studio to record my awesometastic lines, so I thought I'd shoot you today's e-mail._

_I'm still sorry I can't make it for our lunch today, but we'll work something out. Thank you for understanding._

_Love you,_

_Bee_

…

_Subject: What if I locked you away in my bedroom forever?_

_Screw Parsons, screw the internship… lock you away, all for myself?_

_Never mind me. I'm just a little high on how much I love you and getting to spend a weekend in your company. Gosh… I swear this is what I live for, staying the whole day in my underwear (optional, really) with you in my bed – pauses for food and bathroom. Nothing else, just us._

_I missed you. Us. I'm sad the weekend's over. _

_Come back to me asap, ok?_

_Bee_

…

Kurt is left reeling. Completely reeling. He's staring at the loft door that Rachel had so quickly and unceremoniously closed behind her, and he's reeling.

With the realization that of all those invitations, he'd accepted _one_. That of all the times Blaine went out of his way to meet Kurt after his work, only three times Kurt was able to spend more than fifteen minutes with him afterwards. That the month of November wasn't actually any improvement over October, that he hadn't gotten his shit together – that he was managing to see or be with Blaine an average of once or twice a week, and how much he's missing Blaine, _all the time_.

And that's him – whose schedule is so busy he barely has time to eat, let alone think about how much he misses lazy evenings with his boyfriend.

Blaine actually has time on his hands – not a lot, not endless amounts of time. But _some_. And he's stuck trying to fill time that used to be about them, with anything else.

Kurt is left reeling and staring at the door and wondering when did he let himself lose track of it?

He's suddenly hit with the understanding of exactly how exhausted he is, from everything, but mostly from missing Blaine and not getting to see his smile everyday, and not getting to be held and loved by him as often as he needs.

He still has his phone in his hand when a new e-mail comes through.

He reads Blaine's apology, and he cries. Because this is so, so, so stupid.

Because it's not_ just_ Blaine's fault, but it's also not Kurt's. There's just not enough time in a day, and Kurt can't – he just_ can't_ – quit his internship, or he's not only throwing away an amazing opportunity, but also flunking his entire semester.

He grabs his coat, his wallet and his keys and he takes a cab.

Blaine gasps as he opens the door, a small, but hopeful smile gracing his features. "Kurt!"

"Expecting someone else?" Kurt teases.

"What? No!" his face falls at once and his cheeks turn a deep shade of shameful red.

"I… It was a joke. Sorry, stupid joke. I don't… I'm a little tired – long day."

"Oh… Okay." Blaine sighs and tries for a second smile.

"Can I come in?"

"Oh!" Blaine shakes his head and immediately steps aside, "Of course."

"Are Mike and Tina in?"

Blaine shakes his head, "Date night."

"Right." Kurt nods, feeling those words like the accusation that Blaine never meant them to be. But you know what they say about guilty consciences. He shakes those thoughts off as he sits down and holds his hand out for Blaine.

With a hesitant smile Blaine takes it and lets Kurt pull him down to sit.

"So…"

"So." Blaine sighs with a sad smile, "I'm sorry."

"I know." Kurt smiles, "I forgive you." He shrugs before he adds, "And I'm sorry, too."

"For what?" Blaine frowns, confused, "You didn't do anything wrong. You had every right to be uncomfortable about that guy, and I should've respected that. I'm… I just…"

"I did do something wrong… I mean… I didn't do it on purpose, and it's not something I could've helped, and it probably won't get much better sooner, but… I was thinking about you and us, these past couple of months, and I was… I've been the one taking you for granted."

"What?"

"I have… I haven't paid you the attention you deserve, and it's not something I can truly control, because I need that internship and I can't bail on it, but it is taking a toll on me and especially on us."

"But I…"

"You understand. And I'm so grateful you do. I tell you I can't make it to dinner and you say it's fine; I tell you I'm just too tired to join you for a movie, and you kiss me goodnight and watch it alone when I know full well you wanted to watch that movie specifically with me; I tell you this week's going to be crazy and you're bending over backwards to have five minutes outside my office with me."

Blaine gives him a sad smile, "It is what it is. I don't care if I only get five minutes a week with you. I want those five minutes."

"But you miss me." Kurt shrugs.

"Of course I miss you." Blaine breathes with an edge to his voice, "Don't you… miss me?"

"I didn't even realize how much until I stopped to think about it tonight."

It's like a punch to Kurt's gut the little flash of relief across Blaine's face. He tries to remember how many times he's answered Blaine's 'I miss you' with one of his own, but he draws a blank. He feels like saying them all, now. Instead, Blaine's grabbing his hand and squeezing it comfortingly, "Okay, so we get through it. This is temporary. It's just this semester, and then things go back to normal." Blaine smiles, "It's not forever, Kurt… despite what today might tell you, I _can _handle it."

"I know you can…" Kurt sighs, "I just… I feel like you're getting a raw deal, and I have no idea how to make things better."

"It's not by going for coffee with guys who like me, that's for sure…" Blaine sighs with a shake of his head, "I… I just… I guess it felt nice. Having someone who enjoyed my company, once in a while, you know. It helped with the bad days."

"I know." Kurt mutters, "And I want to be enough for that, but I know I'm not, right now."

Blaine lets his head fall back on the couch and closes his eyes. He looks about as exhausted and drained as Kurt feels, "You had me figured out with three e-mails, Kurt." He's voice his wet, and Kurt can see the way that he swallows too thick, "You were asking me if you needed to warn my parents that I was so _nice_ I was a danger to myself, and it's true."

"I love you for it."

"But it's disgusting!" Blaine looks at Kurt with true, deep hurt in his eyes, "This need I have… I just… I thought I could keep it at a healthy level, you know? I thought I knew when to stop and say 'no, I don't need this person stroking my ego right now', and apparently I can't." his eyes are bright, "Who _am_ I? You're busy suddenly I need this_ kid _worshipping my every move! This is s-sick, Kurt! I hate this about m-me!"

"Hey, hey…" he mutters as Blaine buries his face in his hands and tries to disappear, "it's not sick, and it's okay."

"I don't understand why you're being so nice about this!"

"Because I know you, and I understand, and I…" Kurt takes a moment to breathe and find his words again, "You remember our first fight when you forgave me immediately and I couldn't understand why, and you just had me promise I'd never do it again?" Blaine nods a little sadly, "This is the same. I know why you did what you did, I understand you, and I don't just love the good things about you, Blaine. I love everything. So, I'll make you the same deal. Just don't do it again, and we'll be fine."

Blaine breathes and rubs a hand over his face, before shaking his head, "I didn't… I didn't even want anything with him, ever! It was just, you know, someone new and… I was feeling…"

"Lonely?"

"No… Just…" Blaine wipes at his tears and shrugs, clearly angry at himself for admitting it "Forgotten... Kind of… I don't know."

Kurt breathes, "We just need a strategy, till this semester's over, so you don't feel that way again."

"I shouldn't have felt it at all." Blaine argues, "I knew you had to work, I knew you were legitimately busy, and I know you _love_ me…"

"And you know feelings don't work like that, Bee. You felt abandoned, and I'm not sure if I can blame you. I mean, I obviously hate thinking that you… sought out that kid for whatever he could give you, and that was wrong, and I… I do blame you for _that_, but I… I… you needed _something_. I wasn't… I wasn't there for you. And it's not my fault, I don't think so, but still… I wasn't there." He sighs, and with a glance at the front door he rubs a hand over his face and says, voice strange and low almost as if Kurt's own body doesn't want to admit it, "I… I don't… I don't want to be like Rachel. I don't want to be the kind of person that expects your undivided attention if I'm not going to give you mine, and I don't want to be oblivious to when you need me, or show up last minute with a miracle hug or a some pep talk. I want us to be on each other's team _always_. And if I can't be there, you should know that I want to!"

Blaine looks at him a little incredulous. Kurt knows Blaine loves Rachel, but he also knows Blaine thinks Rachel's not that good a friend – at least not to Kurt –, even though he's only ever voiced that opinion once, on their disastrous first fight, and they've never discussed it again.

"You're not… Kurt, you're not Rachel. It's not like that. Kurt, come on, you did nothing wrong."

"You didn't know I missed you." Kurt points out, even though admitting it out loud sends pain shooting through his gut.

"I-I… did… I _did_!"

"No, you didn't." Kurt shakes his head and shrugs a little, "Blaine, part of loving you is knowing how to make you feel loved, and I'm not sure I was making a very good job of that. And I can't change the past, but I can promise to be more communicative from now on."

"Kurt…"

"Isn't that how everything started? Because we could talk to each other like we never had with anyone else in our lives ever?" He takes a deep breath, "We just need to remember that. And we need to find a strategy, to make this better."

"Of course." Blaine nods, "I'll do anything."

Kurt takes his hand and kisses his open palm, before saying, "This last year, after I came back from Paris, coming back to Rachel, I… I don't know. I was expecting… more from her, and it felt… strange, because in truth our relationship is as it always has been, but now it feels… lackluster. She's my best friend, and maybe she always will be, but she's not… she's not a very good one." He shrugs, "So… I started filling in the empty spaces. I had you… I suddenly had Tina again, and Mike, Santana, Mercedes when she's in New York… heck, even Sam or Wes. She's still my best friend, but she's not the only one anymore, and it feels much better like this."

"I'm glad." Blaine nods, his voice still small and looking a little confused at the whole topic.

"What I mean is… the time that you used to spend with me, and that I can't give you for now, you should use it to make plans with other people. With your friends, _all_ of them." He smiles, and then adds as lightly and teasing as possible, "Not just some dumb kid that strokes your ego…"

Blaine's chuckles are feeble and still sad, but Kurt takes them as a small victory and, because you should always celebrate even the smallest victories, he leans in and for a soft kiss.

"Thank you for having faith in me, even when I don't…" Blaine murmurs, pulling back too soon, still not meeting Kurt's eyes, still clenching his fists, still biting his lip a little too hard.

Kurt smiles, "_We are so good for each other_." He tells him, reaching out to hold Blaine's trembling chin between his fingers and making sure their eyes are connected, "A year ago I would've been too proud to have realized my role in all of this. I wouldn't have known the first thing about apologizing. I would've been all about self-defense and self-preservation. A year and one day ago, I hadn't received a mistaken e-mail with a very good essay on Topics in Contemporary Music that changed my _life_. And no matter what happened today in that coffeeshop, that e-mail changed it for the_ better_, Blaine. Much better." He moves his hand to stroke Blaine's cheek and wipe away a lone tear, "_You_ make me better, too, okay?"

Blaine nods, his face screwing up before he pulls Kurt in, arms tight around his body, clinging desperately as he breaks down sobbing into his shoulder.

_(A.N.: illustration for the previous chapter can be found in my tumblr, a-simple-rainbow)_


	12. Chapter 12

**December – the month with a mystery ring**

_**Saturday, 20**__**th**__** December, 2015 – 09:53**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__The thing about your tongue, Mr. Hummel_

_Is that it's made of magic. _

_I'm writing a song about it. I thought you should know._

_It's definitely going in the album._

_Love you lots,_

_Bee_

_Day 328 – E-mail 328_

-x-

Kurt drops to his saved seat and lets his head fall against the table, arms splayed over it, "Hi." He mumbles, voice muffled.

"Kurt, honey, what's wrong?" Tina asks.

"Something good but also bad." He moans, before propping his chin up on his hand, "Where's Bee?"

"He's setting up," she juts her head towards the stage, "It's going to be a full house tonight, apparently." She adds looking around.

The bar does look unusually full. It's the fifth time Blaine's playing here, and it's the second time he's playing a Friday night and they've put his name in big letters outside and on their Facebook page, like he's some kind of attraction. Which, Kurt realizes with the warmth of newfound pride, now that he sees the crowd gathered (and still gathering), is likely true. The Youtube thing was a good idea, apparently. God bless Sam.

"Is he nervous?"

Tina shrugs, "He didn't look _too _nervous…" she says, "Mike's getting us drinks, and Rachel texted me to say she's running five minutes late, but she'll be here in time."

"Do you want me to go find Mike to get you a drink, too?" Wes asks, from the other side of the table.

"Huh… yeah, just a beer, thanks."

Wes nods and goes. The group coming to Blaine's gigs changes in names and size each time, but for the most part it's always this little core group forming. For the first gig it was everyone, of course, but now it's mostly the roommates, the best friend, and the boyfriend, meeting up for their weekly drinks (Sam and Rachel, too, when they can). And it's not just for Blaine: mostly it's good music, good company and good drinks – it's hard to say no to that, after all – and it's becoming a weekly tradition of sorts. It feels very grown up, too.

"So…" Tina starts, "Wanna tell me about it?"

Kurt considers it and then shrugs, "Why not…? I got offered an extension on my internship."

She raises her eyebrows, "The same internship that takes away most of your free time and is kind of making it difficult for you and Blaine?" he nods, "The same internship that you both keep saying is temporary…?"

"Yeah…" He sighs, "I mean, it's great because they're basically saying that the minute I graduate from Parsons I get the job, but in the meantime it's juggling work and classes, and I don't know if I can keep seeing Blaine just two or three times a week for a couple of hours much longer."

"Do you wanna break up?" Tina gasps.

"Absolutely not!" Kurt balks and pales at the thought alone, "I'm just wondering if I want to spend the next year like this… I don't know if I can, something's gonna give at some point, and it can't be my relationship. It just can't."

Tina gives him a sympathetic smile and brushes a stray hair out of his forehead, "I never thought I'd see this day…"

Kurt blushes and rolls his eyes, "I'm ambitious, I'm not… cold hearted."

"I never said you were." She chuckles, "I don't know. I love you guys together. I didn't know him before he met you, obviously, but I can tell that he's grown up a lot with you, and so have you. I love that."

"Yeah, I know." He smiles.

"Sometimes I gotta bite my tongue to keep myself from saying I told you so." She grins and he laughs, "Anyway," she sighs, "About your predicament… You'll have to talk to him, Kurt. If you're that serious about your relationship, this is the kind of decision that you need to start including him in. And for all that you're the busiest one right now, you can't exclude the possibility that one day soon he'll be busy, too."

"I know. We didn't pick easy careers. Or at least not at the beginning, and I guess that does come at a price."

"But you _will_ find a solution." Tina says, "Just like you did last month, when you thought things couldn't get any worse, you found a way to have at least one night a week that's all about you two, and it helped." She squeezes his shoulder, "And even when you're not together you're communicating, and that's the most important thing."

"I guess."

"Just talk about it with him and you'll find a solution. I'm sure you will."

"Yeah,…" Kurt sighs, smiling and shaking his head, "I'm sure we will, too."

"For what is worth, I think you should take it." She says carefully, "It's an amazing opportunity, and Blaine will think so, too. You'll adjust somehow and it'll get better. You_ can_ have both." She winks and he thanks her silently.

"One beer!" Wes says, arriving with a beer in each hand, and offering one to Kurt. He takes it and thanks him, just as Mike arrives with a cocktail for Tina and another beer for himself.

Kurt looks towards the stage again and finally spots Blaine amidst the cables and the mic stands and guitar cases, so he hops off his chair and says, "I'll be right back."

He rushes through the crowd and calls out "Bee!" as he reaches the small stage.

"Kurt, hey!" Blaine grins, kneeling and leaning down to kiss Kurt.

"Biggest crowd, yet." Kurt teases him.

"I know, right? Yikes!" he grimaces and takes Kurt's beer out of his hand to take a sip.

"Don't be nervous, you'll knock'em all dead." Kurt kisses him again.

"Wouldn't that be a headline for the papers tomorrow? Bar singer knocks entire audience dead."

"Your jokes are so lame." Kurt rolls his eyes and smiles, keeping the thought that Blaine's the best embarrassing dad waiting to happen to himself, and instead says, "I love you."

Blaine's smile falters for a moment and he looks at Kurt like he wants to ask something but instead he says, "Those two sentences put together say more about you than they do about me."

"Maybe." Kurt concedes, shrugging with one shoulder, "Sing me a song tonight?"

Blaine nods and laughs a little, "You know I always do, love, don't you start getting corny on me, that's my job."

Kurt chuckles and sighs, "Yeah, I know, sorry, Bee."

"Kurt, you're okay?"

"Yeah, of course."

Blaine smiles, but he doesn't look completely appeased, "_We_'re okay?"

Kurt pulls him in for a kiss longer than strictly necessary, "Yes." Kurt says with all of his certainty, "We're more than okay."

Blaine grins and kisses him again, still looking a little confused, "Okay, great! But now I gotta set up, or they'll kick my butt."

"In the best interest of your butt I'll go back to our table, then." He offers Blaine another sip of his beer.

"Okay, you're still sleeping over tonight, right love?"

"If you have a bed and a door that closes, then yes!" Kurt grins, winking before he goes back to sit next to Tina. He's still grinning by the time he sits down, thinking of their blessed weekly sleepovers. Thinking of how it feels to fall asleep and wake up in his boyfriend's arms. Of how he wishes it could be that way every night and every day.

Rachel arrives just before Blaine's tapping the mic to make sure it's working and Kurt hugs her and revels in the distraction she provides for the five minutes until the music starts and he focuses back on his boyfriend, reveling in how captivating he is. Mixing his original songs with some well-chosen covers, Blaine has the audience eating off the palm of his hand.

Blaine closes with Kurt's song, amid laughter and confused, but happy applause, and Kurt turns to Tina and asks, "How did you know you wanted to move in with Mike?"

She startles at the question before grinning, "I don't know.. I… it just made sense. I was moving to New York, he lived here already, everyone kept telling me that the dorms were shitty, we loved each other and I just… I don't know, it made sense!" She laughs, "It was a big step and a big chance, but it was absolutely the right thing to do! I get to wake up to him every morning, do you know what that's like?"

"No…" Kurt chuckles, "But that's the point of me asking, isn't it?"

"Kurt, I can't tell you to do it, or not do it, I think that's something you'll have to talk about together, but for what is worth, I'd love it to have you as a roommate, too."

He smiles, nods, and goes back to look over at the stage, where Blaine's putting his things away. He stands to go over just as a man in dark-wash jeans, a black witty T-shirt and hipster glasses goes over to Blaine and starts talking. For a moment Kurt thinks the guy's hitting on Blaine and the thought makes his stomach churn a little, but then the man just keeps talking and Blaine's smile is growing and he's nodding, and then the man gives him something that Blaine pockets before leaving.

Kurt waits another couple of minutes before he goes over, crowd already thinning a little,

"Who was that?" he asks, keeping his voice completely neutral, and Blaine turns around, grinning beyond reason, fishing something out of his pocket and then presenting a card to Kurt.

"He's from a label. He wants me to send him my stuff. He thinks his boss will love me." Blaine laughs, "Kurt, I might get signed!"

"What?!"

"Not just any label, either!" Blaine gasps, "Look!"

"Epic?!"

"Holy shit, right?!"

"Blaine!"

"Just kiss me!" Blaine groans, laughing, as he pulls Kurt in and kisses him fiercely, lifting him off the ground.

-x-

"So…" Kurt starts, running his finger lightly through the hair scattered across Blaine's chest.

"So?"

"I've got news, too." He says.

"I figured." Blaine nods, moving so that he's also lying on his side, facing Kurt, "Is it about the internship?"

"How did you know?"

Blaine brushes some hair off Kurt's face and tries to tuck it behind his ear, failing of course, "I know you, love."

"Right…" Kurt smiles, and chases Blaine's fingers, "They offered to keep me interning there next year. It'd still count as an academic internship, so I'd still get out of some of my classes, but not all."

"Basically the same as now."

"Yeah… but they said that if I stayed, next year they'd keep me after graduation. For real, not as an intern, but as an actual designer for the label."

"That sounds great." Blaine beams, "I'm so proud of you, Kurt."

"But…" Kurt lets it trail away with a long sigh.

"We'll figure something out. We always do." Blaine says, kissing him afterwards, "Hopefully I'm about to get plenty busy myself…"

"I know. That's exactly what I mean."

"You're scared we won't make it?" Blaine murmurs.

"No," Kurt says honestly, "I'm just too sick of always missing you to want another year of this or worse. It's been three months and I'm going crazy."

"Okay," Blaine nods, looking resolute on having this conversation properly, "So, let's start talking. What can we do to make it better?"

Kurt takes a deep breath and steels himself, "We can move in together." He says, "Or rather, I can move in here."

Blaine's eyes widen and his mouth pops open without any words coming out.

Kurt tries not to be too nervous as he smiles and shrugs, "These few stolen nights are amazing, Bee, but I don't think they're enough anymore… and I… just want to wake up right here… always."

"Kurt…" Blaine gasps.

"Every time we have to say goodbye and I have to go home and sleep alone, I hate it. I want to be with you every night I possibly can."

"Kurt, I…"

"I know you'd never want to leave this house – for now at least. I know you love living here with Mike and Tina. But I'm not asking you to leave this house or these guys. I'm just asking if I could maybe join the equation? Please…?"

"Kurt…" Blaine sighs, and he smiles, breathless, "You're sure?"

"Yeah." Kurt nods, and moves a little closer, "What do you think?"

"I'd _love _it if you moved in." Blaine breathes, "When we come back from Ohio, we can start packing your things up."

"We'll have to wait until my semester ends, in January, I can't juggle classes, internship and moving all at the same time…"

"Okay, then, as long as it happens."

Kurt could cry with relief and joy, "It will, it really will. I'll be coming _home_ to you everyday."

"Oh my god… I'm… I'm just so happy right now, Kurt. I love you. You know that? Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

"I've always worked better with illustrations…" Kurt smiles, reaching forward for a kiss, and a couple others afterwards, while Blaine just groans, and wraps a strong arm around his waist pulling their bodies flush.

Kurt wakes up hours later. He doesn't stir awake or yawn – he simply blinks his eyes open without knowing exactly what woke him up. The room is bathed in yellow streetlight, and next to him Blaine's chest moves up and down slowly, and it's only as Blaine's hand moves above his face that Kurt realizes Blaine isn't sleeping either. Instead he's holding something right in front of his eyes, carefully and calmly examining it. As he tilts the object and it catches the light Kurt notices it's a ring – gold and simple, it looks a lot like a wedding ring.

He bites his lip to keep from gasping and he watches Blaine in silence. He doesn't know how long Blaine just stays like that, holding the ring, looking at it, gently turning it every once in a while so he's seeing a different angle, a different part. Eventually, though, Blaine closes his hand tight around it with a deep breath and props himself on his elbows, turning away from Kurt, and fiddling around, opening and closing bedside drawers, before lying back down.

Kurt closes his own eyes just in time not to be caught watching, and pretends to stir lazily in his sleep as Blaine's arm slips around his waist, and his face comes to rest against the crook of Kurt's neck.

When he wakes up again, Blaine's side of the bed empty and cool, except for Pirate who stirs awake when he moves, it's to the sound of his cell phone telling him he has a new e-mail, and he grins the sleep way, reaching for it and reading about magic tongues and albums and songs, and letting Pirate walk over his stomach and try to settle back to sleep on it. He chuckles to himself before he picks the cat up, close to his chest, and rolls out of bed, intent on following the sounds and scents of a delicious breakfast in the making.

In his movement he catches sight of Blaine's nightstand, top drawer still closed, ring possibly there. His eyes linger and his fingertips itch, but he holds his breath and goes to join Blaine in the kitchen. When he kisses his boyfriend good morning and rests a loud, purring, happy Pirate carefully on top of his messy curls, he receives the most beautiful smile in existence in return. He bites his lip and relegates the mystery ring to the confines of the back of his mind. He'll know about the ring when Blaine's ready for him to know about the ring.


	13. Chapter 13

**January – the month when the future starts**

_**Monday, 26**__**th**__** January, 2015 – 09:53**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Last of the promised e-mails_

_So this was fun and only slightly annoying. I'm a little sad to see it end, but I think it's for the best. You know, I think I'd be sending you one-word e-mails at some point. Either that, or live-narrating your movements in the house. I mean, I think of communication as an important foundation of any healthy relationship, but I think if this were to continue you might strangle me at some point. Don't you? There is such a thing as over-communication. Leave something to the imagination, am I right?_

_Also, maybe I should stop writing and go help you unpack._

_How mad are you going to be when you realize I'm not actually writing anything important? Leave me a box or two so I can feel like I helped some._

_On a scale of one to ten, how cool is it living with Tina and Mike, hey? I mean, hit me back with an answer in like three days so you're not, you know, just guessing._

_Also, it's been one year and one day since we first kissed. My balance of that year is pretty positive. Quite possibly the best year of my life, so far. _

_You look tired, Kurt. Maybe I should go help you out. Or you could take a break. Okay, wait a sec, let me just ask you if you wanna take a break._

_Soooo, I'm gonna go help you out, kay?_

_I'll send you an e-mail when I actually need to send you an e-mail. _

_So much love,_

_Bee_

_Day 365 – E-mail 365_

-x-

"Hey, Kurt?" Blaine's voice comes from the kitchen counter where he's been perched, typing away at his computer while Kurt unpacks what seems to be an endless stream of useless junk (when did he accumulate so much crap?) and pretends not to be annoyed at the lack of help, "How about a little break or something? You look like you need one."

"Oh, I do, do I?" Kurt nearly snarls.

"But you also look very handsome." Blaine adds, voice hesitant, and Kurt glares. Somewhere behind him Pirate seems to be going crazy with some empty box. Blaine smiles shyly, "So no break, then?"

"Well, I don't know about you, Blaine, but usually I like to get stuff over with at once."

Blaine bites his lip before carefully saying, "I just figured we could take it easier, you know, make sure you're not too tired tonight…?"

Kurt glares, "If you keep going in that direction there won't be anything for me to be too tired for later tonight, _Casanova_."

He scowls but doesn't linger to watch the way Blaine's cheeks turn a little red and he bites his lip before he starts typing again, a lot faster. He shuts the laptop after two minutes, and Kurt feels significantly better until his phone vibrates in his back pocket and he stops altogether, "You have got to be kidding me, right now."

Blaine just grins his best grin, and shuffles over, placing a quick, swift kiss on Kurt's lips and saying, "So, what do you want me to do?"

"I thought you were working on something important!" Kurt sighs, before picking up one of the unopened boxes and shoving it in Blaine's arms.

"My promises to you are important, love."

"Ugh, don't even." Kurt groans, arms aching as he lifts up another box for himself, "Your sweet talk will only get you so far today, Bee."

"How about a massage?" Blaine pipes up from where he's unwrapping dinnerware.

"That might help." Kurt concedes, shuffling through his box and deciding that half of it is going in the trash, "God, I feel like I've been slowly turning into a hoarder these past years and I never even noticed it!"

"Couldn't you have just left half of this stuff behind? Like, you do know we own plates here, right?" Blaine frowns as he grabs the unpacked stack of plates and takes them towards the kitchen.

"Mine are prettier."

Blaine opens the cabinet and then just stands there staring at the already full shelves, "Debatable." He says shortly, possibly hoping Kurt doesn't catch it, before he adds louder, "Yours don't fit."

"Not anywhere?" Kurt whines, dropping his trash-intended box and going over to open cabinet doors randomly.

"Kurt," Blaine sighs, "this is a New York apartment shared by three, now four people. You really think there's a lot of free space for _extra_ dinnerware?"

"Whose dinnerware is that?"

"I think it's Tina's…?" Blaine squints, trying to remember who brought that, "Yeah, it's Tina's. Her mom bought her the entire set as a going away present."

"So," Kurt starts, "When we eventually part ways, _we_'re going to need our _own _set…?"

Blaine considers this for a moment before he groans and says, "I'll go pack it back up and we'll keep it under our bed." Kurt can't help laughing a little bit.

Blaine puts on a little music as they work, and with his help the stacks of boxes are disappearing much faster, even if he stops every five minutes to check if Kurt doesn't mind him throwing away certain items ("Honestly, Blaine, it's like you're the one emotionally attached.", he teases), or to wrap Pirate up in bubble wrap, or trap her in boxes and laugh hysterically at the inevitable hilarious results. It helps a little bit with Kurt's mood, but he's still exhausted.

Tina comes home to find the living room partly covered in empty card boxes, partly covered in random items. Instead of horror she squeals and hops over piles of stuff to throw her arms around Kurt. "So much stuff!" she gasps, looking around herself as she lets him go.

"I know…" he groans, "It didn't look this much when I was packing it up."

"You left an empty apartment, and brought most of its stuff to an already full apartment, Kurt. That's the difference." She says.

"Wisdom." He sighs, and she leaves and gives him a weird sort of smile before disappearing into the kitchen.

Kurt's trying to decide which books to keep, checking on Blaine's shelves to see which would be repeats, when there's a tumbling sound from the kitchen and Tina yelps.

"Kurt?" Blaine calls, leaning over the wall to check on the inside of the kitchen, "Why was the glasses and cups cabinet overstocked with packs of teabags?"

"Because there wasn't enough space left in the cabinet where you actually keep your tea…? I had a lot of tea." Kurt cringes, and Blaine gives him a fond smile before going over to help Tina clean up the mess.

They've unpacked and sorted through enough stuff that after the tea is artfully arranged into its proper place and cabinet, Tina just picks up a small box, sits next to it on the kitchen counter and starts sorting through it slowly and calmly, inspecting everything with curiosity, even if she ultimately decides most of the items are useless.

"So…" she starts airily, "You two are testy today. Second thoughts?"

Kurt shoots her a frown and shakes his hand, "No, just a little tired from hauling up boxes all morning with no help -"

"I tried moving the meeting, love, but-"

"And then when this guy finally comes home, he sits down on his laptop, and I figure, it was something meeting related, it's important, he'll help afterwards."

"I_ am_ helping afterwards!"

"But it turns out my boyfriend is simply lazy and useless. Go figure."

"Huh…" Tina looks over the two of them, concealing a smile, "So, no second thoughts?"

"He'll be useful and energetic in the bedroom tonight." Kurt shrugs, trying, and possibly failing, to keep his smile off his lips. Behind him Blaine chuckles and hooks a finger through his back belt loop, pulls him back close and presses a sound kiss on the back of his neck, "Stop trying to gain my forgiveness, Bee."

"Remind me to take my headphones to bed with me." Tina chuckles with a weird smile on her face, before she hops off the counter, "You know what I think about sometimes? Your nicknames for each other. I feel so inadequate around you."

"What?" Blaine laughs, still holding Kurt close, thumb gently moving over the skin he's just kissed.

"It's like, I think about Mike and I calling each other baby or babe, and it's just so… common. I feel so pedestrian. But you guys, you are original and cute."

"Yes, it was very cute when Blaine came back from London resolute that the only way I was ever going to feel better about not going was if he spent an entire week speaking in a stupid British accent and calling me _love_. It made me stop whining about not going, but only because I was begging him to stop."

"Ah, but see, it stuck, and it has a story. It has meaning."

"So much meaning." Kurt rolls his eyes, but doesn't object when Blaine kisses the crook of his neck. And he doesn't admit that he loves it when Blaine calls him 'love'. It feels like he's saying "I love you" every time.

"I mean, here I am, calling my boyfriend baby, and I wonder, when did that happen? When did someone decide it was okay to call your sexual partner _baby_? And how did it get to be the most used pet name ever? It's just creepy. Now love… that's a good one. And Bee, too. It's just so much more interesting, right?"

"Is this what the four of us living will be like?" Blaine muses, arms circling tight around Kurt's torso, "A competition to see which couple is better?"

Tina grins, "We could keep scores."

"Or not." Kurt offers.

"Tina, that's not even a remote possibility." Blaine laughs, "You know we'd win."

"No, you guys have the shiny and new factor going, but we've got years and years of practice." She counters.

"We've been together for a year." Kurt frowns, "We're hardly shiny and new."

"A year, pfff, kid's stuff. Talk to me when it's plural." She shrugs.

"Alright, we will." Blaine nods, and she gives him a fond smile, before hopping down the kitchen counter and looking around the room.

"We should have a party." She says, finally, "To celebrate you moving in!"

"Weekend…" Kurt nods, "Tonight it should just be us four with a nice dinner and good drinks. Blaine bought fancy champagne."

"Hm, what were you saying about him being useless?" Tina teases, "I'm going to get started on making a dent in our overstocked tea cabinet. Anyone want some?"

"Sure. Thanks." Blaine says, before kissing Kurt's cheek and announcing, "I'm going to run downstairs to drop these in the trash." He picks up three full bags of apparently useless junk, and heads out.

"No second thoughts whatsoever?" Tina calls back from the kitchen, and Kurt rolls his eyes.

"Are _you _having second thoughts?" he chuckles, trying to fit his books into the bookshelves, "Seriously, I'm fine. I'm really happy about this, and it feels perfect and natural. I'm just a little tired, and testy. But the moment I put my feet up with a champagne flute in my hand, I promise, I'll be nothing but sunshine and rainbows."

"That's good." Tina says without much inflection of apparent thought, and Kurt looks back to see her staring intently at the water heater, waiting for it to start boiling, "I'm glad."

"You sure? Are you sure you're okay with this Tina? You seem a little…"

"I'm fine!" She snaps out of it and turns back to Kurt, grinning, "I'm so happy you're moving in, Kurt. I think we're going to have a blast, the four of us!"

"Yeah, so do I!" Kurt grins, "how could I ever have second thoughts about this?" he strides over the living room and pulls her into a hug. She holds on extra tight. "You're sure you're okay?"

"Super." She nods into his shoulder before she pulls back, and goes back to the now boiling water. He can't help lingering on her, a little worried, but when she doesn't offer anything else, studying the tea cabinet for a choice of flavor, he goes back to his books.

Blaine comes back just in time to receive a steaming mug from Tina, and he kisses her forehead as he mutters thank you.

Everything's pretty much unpacked, if a little messy still, when Mike gets home. He and Blaine have some fun flattening out the empty card-boxes and messing with Pirate, while Kurt fills the newly bought closet in Blaine (and Kurt)'s bedroom with his clothes.

Tina announces that tonight is dedicated to Kurt, and Blaine by extension, so they should just relax while Tina and Mike prepare a nice dinner. Blaine takes the offer easily, grabbing Kurt's wrist and pulling him into the bedroom, closing the door and saying "Strip!"

"What, Blaine, now? I mean-"

"Massage, Mr. Hot Pants. Don't get ahead of yourself, just yet." He laughs as he shuffles around his nightstand, emerging with a small bottle of coconut oil, "The day is long, and the night longer still."

"Hmmm, no objections here." Kurt mutters happily, yanking his shirt off, and shoving his pants down before throwing himself unceremoniously on the bed, much to Blaine's amusement.

Something Kurt's been very pleased to discover over the year they've been together is that Blaine's hands are magical, and it usually doesn't take more than one please from Kurt to get Blaine bringing out the oils and indulging him.

They don't speak for the half hour Blaine spends kneading, spreading, and caressing Kurt's skin and muscles, and the only reason Kurt doesn't fall asleep is because the feeling is way too good to miss out on. By the time it's over Kurt is completely blissed out with oily skin and a goofy grin on his face.

"Forgiven?" Blaine asks, straddling him and leaning down to kiss Kurt gently. Kurt nods and prolongs the kiss a little longer. "I swear I just wanted to get everything out of the way before I completely dove into helping you become a part of this home." Blaine smiles, pulling back.

"Shut up," Kurt rolls his eyes, "You're an ass, but it's fine… I still love you."

"Good." Blaine chuckles.

Kurt pulls him back, flush, kissing him "Hmmm, especially today."

"You should go take a shower…" Blaine murmurs as his hands try to find purchase on his arms and fail, fingers sliding easily over the oil.

"_We_ should go take a shower." Kurt grins, chasing Blaine's lips to deepen the kiss, and Blaine's chuckles vibrate into his mouth deliciously.

"Why, Mr. Hummel, I'm not that kind of masseur!"

"But you are that kind of boyfriend, are you not?"

"You got me there!" Blaine beams before he jumps off the bed, taking Kurt's hand as they hurry to the bathroom giggling.

-x-

"There's something wrong with Tina." Kurt says, as he gently towel dries Blaine's hair, "She seemed a little off earlier."

Blaine nods with a smile, "There's been something wrong with Tina for like a week, love. I just wish she'd say something."

"Do you think it's serious? You don't think she's upset I'm moving in, right?"

"I don't know." Blaine shrugs, buttoning up Kurt's shirt. He scrunches up his nose adorably, "I don't think so."

Kurt lets him finish the buttons before he picks up Blaine's t-shirt and pulls it over his head, "She was always very supportive of the idea, but maybe she just…"

"Hey, I doubt it's that. Mike's been a little weird, too. I think it's something to do with them." Blaine sighs, and smiles sadly.

"You don't think they're breaking up, do you?" Kurt gasps, the ground shifting beneath his feet at the mere thought.

Blaine shakes his head, "I don't know. They haven't been fighting or anything. And she was just challenging us to see which couple is cuter… I don't think they'd be very cute if they were breaking up. It's weird."

There's a soft knock on the door, "Dinner's ready you pervert, shower-defiling gross boys!" Tina calls out, her voice her usual, happy carefree tone.

Blaine and Kurt exchange a glance and a quick kiss before stepping out of the steamed up bathroom in comfortable clothes, wet hair falling a little on their faces, and still feeling a little heavy and loose from the massages and the sex.

"Thank you, guys!" Blaine beams and laces an arm around Tina's waist, pulling her close and kissing her multiple times on the cheek.

She giggles and bats him away, "I'm a taken woman!"

"She is!" Mike adds, smiling, from the kitchen where he's balancing three plates on his hands and arms. Kurt hurries to help him, while Blaine gets the other plate.

So probably not breaking up… Kurt considers as he watches Tina take her seat next to Mike, and scratch the back of his neck tenderly.

"This looks delicious!" Blaine compliments, "I'm going to open the good wine. It's worth it."

When he comes back, popping the cork easily and moving to pour it into their 'adorably' mismatched wine glasses, Tina covers her glass with a smile and shakes her head, "I'm good, thank you."

"You sure? This is a good one! I promise! I've been saving it!" Blaine grins, bottle still hovering close.

"I'm just not feeling like it, but thanks." She says, and with the way her voice is a little shaky with nerves and her eyes flick towards Mike's, it dawns on Kurt.

"Oh my god…!" Kurt gasps, and Tina startles at once, "You're…?!"

"Kurt, don't!" She cringes, looking a little scared, but mostly just resolute, "Tonight is about you guys, and celebrating a new step in your relationship, and we really just want to be here and happy for you."

Blaine frowns, looking between the two of them before he too realizes what's happening. The bottle of wine clatters to the floor, not breaking but leaving a growing pool of crimson spilling onto the floor. "Oh shit!" Tina and Mike gasp at once. Tina hurries to snatch the bottle back and Mike jumps to his feet, jogging over to the kitchen to get napkins, while Kurt and Blaine just stand there with their mouths agape and their eyes wide, fixed on the spots where the other couple used to be.

Slowly they come to their senses and help with the last of the damage control, before everyone sits back down, silence filling the room.

"Tina." Blaine starts, not finding any more words besides that one.

"I…" She starts as if she's going to deny, or redirect, but finally she sighs and deflates, and shrugs, "Well, if you must know, I'm pregnant."

"Holy shit." Kurt mutters before he can stop himself.

"Yes, I had pretty much the same reaction." She shrugs with a chuckle, and another stretch of silence falls between them. Kurt observes the two of them. Tina is still chuckling, every two seconds, and Mike is looking at her with adoration and a smile on his lips. He doesn't look ecstatic or thrilled, but he does look content and in love.

"And… huh, is this a good thing?" he asks carefully.

"Well, it's not the best, I'll admit." Tina sighs with another nervous laugh, "I sure didn't skip my pill on purpose. But… it's not_ bad_ either. I've always wanted to be a mother, _we've _always wanted it together, and I guess it just happened a little sooner than we were expecting it."

"So, you're not considering an abortion…?" Kurt frowns and bites his lip.

"We thought about it. It was definitely an option, given the timing and all, but it just didn't feel right for us." Tina shrugs with a smile.

"Right…" Blaine breathes, still a little lost for words, "So. Huh. Who knows?"

"Just us four." Mike says, "We want to tell our parents in person."

"Do you think they'll be mad?" Kurt cringes.

"They won't be thrilled," Mike chuckles, "But they'll come around soon enough, I'm sure."

"In the meantime, I've got eight months to figure out what the hell I'm going to do with my life." Tina breathes, finally showing a hint of sadness or frustration.

"Any idea what you _want _to do?" Blaine asks gently, his shock clearly wearing off much quicker than Kurt's, as he goes into crisis-solving mode.

"I want to finish school, and Mike too, but I…"

"Well, then that's what you should do, and we'll figure something out."

"We?" Tina teases with a fond smile.

"Well, that's the thing about having friends, Tina," Blaine shrugs easily as he smiles back, "You're never alone."

Kurt glances at Blaine with pride and affection, before suddenly Tina buries her face in her hands, and lets out some kind of strangled sob. All three men share a confused look, and Mike's drapes an arm around her shoulders and asks, "What's wrong?" in a sweet murmur.

She looks up, tears streaming down "I'm so sorry! It's the hormones! I feel like I'm on a rollercoaster all the time, and every site says it's supposed to get _worse_!"

Mike smiles a little fondly before he pulls her closer to him, while Kurt reaches out and takes her hand, squeezing.

"But Blaine's right, we'll help in any way we can."

"I'm almost finished with school," Mike says, "And I've been getting some offers for when I graduate, and they're pretty solid, so. I'll probably be working when the baby's born."

"See?" Blaine says sweetly, "It's not the end of the world. And hey, I'm taking the year off school to work on the album, and I'm sure I can easily change my status from roommate, to live-in babysitter."

"Blaine…!" Tina gasps, "We couldn't possibly ask you to do that."

"Why not?" He shrugs, "I love kids, and I'll love your kid. It's not like you'll be able to afford a full-time babysitter, and you can try to cut down on your classes, too. Right? And, you know, the meeting today was for the back up singers for the album, and they were showing me some people, and I could probably tell them I want you, so there's a little income right there? You could probably get your foot in the door there, and even if it's not something you want to do forever, it could still be a good temporary solution for a little extra money, on a part-time schedule."

"Blaine…"

"And I still have most of my trust fund left, so I can give you – sorry, I can lend you some of it, easily."

"Blaine," Tina says sternly, finally managing to silence him, "I know perfectly well what you've been saving that money for, and I'm not going to take it away from you."

"I said lend." He offers with an almost cheeky smile, "I'm sure by the time I'm getting married and finding a new home or whatever you'll be able to pay me back. And if you don't, it's fine. Expensive weddings and… you know, whatever, are not necessarily better." Blaine waves the whole thing off, only a slight blush on his cheeks betraying the true meaning of his revelation, and Kurt chokes on the realization that Blaine has been saving for _their _wedding, for _their _home, for _their _future, whatever future it may be… but always for _them_.

"Blaine," Mike says looking both touched and a little amused, "Thank you, but… we should probably wait and see how it's going to go. Who knows, maybe our parents will manage to give us a little extra, too, so Tina can stay in school. Maybe they won't and then, I don't know."

"Still," Kurt says, voice unsurprisingly shaky, even as he searches for Blaine's hand and laces their fingers together with a strong, eager grip, "It's an offer you should keep in mind. If you guys see you're not managing, tell us, and we'll be here for you however we can. I can give up the internship, too, so maybe I'll have a little more time, and between the four of us I'm sure we'll manage the first couple of years without you having to give up on school, Tina. Or waste rivers of money on babysitters. Just until you can get the kid to pre-school."

"Absolutely not." She says adamantly, even as Blaine kisses his knuckles, "You're not giving up a great chance to _babysit_."

"Okay," Mike cuts in, a little calmer, but just as unwavering, "Let's just take this as it comes. If we see that we need your help, we'll ask and we promise not to be too shy about it." he offers with a little smile, "But in the meanwhile neither of you should be thinking of giving up internships or trust funds, okay?"

Blaine returns Mike's smile easily and sighs, "Fine." He says, "But I get to be an uncle."

Everyone laughs, the mood suddenly much more relaxed, "Actually," Tina starts, "I know it's silly, and it doesn't actually mean much in a house full of atheists, but… we kind of wanted you guys to be the godparents…?"

"What?!" Blaine gasped, suddenly grinning, while Kurt feels his internal organs cartwheeling and summersaulting, and just overall going crazy.

"I mean, I don't think we'll be able to afford this house alone anytime soon, or moving out to one of our own, so, unless you're going to run for the hills when the tough nights start coming, we're actually all going to be living under the same room with the tiny human, and… that seems kind of intimate, right?"

"Yes, we might as well get an honorary title out of it." Kurt teases, happily. His stomach still a little fluttery.

"Anyway, yeah, what do you think?" Mike beams, "You'd be up for it?"

They answer in unison.

"Absolutely!"

"Yes!" Kurt's still grinning when he drops his chin to his palm as he drawls out, "You know, in the olden days, it was the godparents who chose the kid's name…"

"Absolutely not." Tina says, but she's beaming and happy, and Kurt can't help himself as he jumps out of his chair and wraps her up in his arms. She hugs him back, hooking her chin over his shoulder and taking a deep shuddering breath, so he squeezes tighter.

"We haven't touched our food, and now it's all cold and gross." She mumbles, and everyone bursts out laughing again.

Finally they all take deep breaths, regaining some semblance of composure and start slowly eating. A comfortable but charged silence hovering between them, until Mike asks.

"So you guys are really okay with us four still leaving together after the baby is born?"

"It won't be forever!" Tina starts, "Just until I can find some incom-"

"Yes, it'll be fun." Blaine interrupts calmly.

Silence falls back between them.

"And you guys are sure you don't want a shotgun wedding?" Kurt asks smirking, "I could have it ready and smashing in two weeks."

Mike chuckles and shakes his head, "I think we're better off saving our money for diapers and stuff."

"Some other time, maybe." Tina shrugs, glancing sweetly towards Mike. He smiles back and leans over to kiss her.

-x-

It's beyond late when each couple retreats to their bedroom, after hours of sipping champagne, getting pleasantly buzzed (Tina excepted), while talking about the next months, the next couple of years, hopes, dreams, expectations and fears. The first rays of sunlight are peeking in towards the dark grey sky when Blaine finally closes the bedroom door, pressing his back heavily against it.

"Wow…" Kurt sighs.

"I know!" Blaine gasps, "I can't believe they completely pulled focus from_ our_ night!"

Kurt laughs and swats him over the chest, "Shut up!" before pulling him close and kissing him.

"I actually, honestly don't think I have the energy for that tonight." Blaine mutters against the kiss, even as he lets Kurt pull him towards the bed.

"Oh, me neither. I just wanted to kiss you, fellow godfather." Kurt says, as they finally land on the covers, Blaine rolling away from him.

"Fuck… Godfathers…!" Blaine breathes, eyes wide as he looks blindly at the ceiling.

Kurt can't help smiling a little as he takes his pants off and then moves to curl into Blaine's chest, "You'll handle the babysitting and I'll take care of the expensive gifts."

Blaine grins and turns to look at him with nothing but fierce love and excitement in his eyes, "Deal."

"Or maybe you could take care of both."

Blaine laughs again and kisses Kurt, "Or we can both do both." He offers lightly, as he pulls back enough to discard his own jeans and T-shirt, and then jiggle his way under the covers.

Kurt joins him soon enough and they find each other easily, "So this is how the future starts. Adulthood." He murmurs, resting his cheek against Blaine's chest, closing his eyes and reveling in the feeling of gentle fingers scratching his scalp.

"I guess so." Blaine says, "Exciting, huh?"

"To say the least…" Kurt chuckles, "I never thought I'd be agreeing to be a godfather at 21."

Blaine's silent for a little while and Kurt wonders if he's fallen asleep. When he finally moves, he scoots down and turns on his side so they're looking straight at each other. He's still smiling, but there's something much fiercer about his eyes, maybe even anxious, as he leans an inch closer and asks, "A good practice for our… for the future, no?"

Kurt's heart stutters and he can't find his words for what feels like hours, "Are you asking me if I want kids?"

Blaine bites his lips and shrugs, possibly trying to look nonchalant and completely missing the mark, "I'm not saying _now_, but som-"

"Yes." Kurt says, cutting him off before he presses their lips together, "With you, it's something I'd never want to miss out on. I'll love you even more, if that's possible."

Blaine stares at him before his voice comes out breathless, "Oh, okay, good. Yeah, I… Me too."

"Deal." Kurt grins, before kissing him again, "And now we should sleep. And then we can start trying in the morning." He winks, and Blaine laughs silently, apparently still not completely over the exchange. Kurt maneuvers them back to their previous position, not saying anything else but reveling in the fact that when he presses his head back to Blaine's chest, his heart is absolutely racing. He splays his hand over it and moves his thumb in sweet, gentle caresses.

Blaine takes a deep, shuddering breath and wraps his arms tight around Kurt. Finally, the room bathed in dawning light, Blaine's heartbeat back to normal under Kurt's tender touch, they fall asleep.


	14. Chapter 14

**Epilogue, the one with the proposal**

_**Thursday, 13**__**th**__** November, 2018 – 11:12**_

_**From: **__Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**To:**__ Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**Subject: **__Topics in Contemporary Music – essay delivery_

_**Attachments**__: , just_the_way_you_ 3_

_Dear Mr. Kurt Hummel,_

_Will you marry me?_

_The very best regards,_

_Blaine Anderson_

_Your boyfriend (future fiancé)_

_-x-_

_**Thursday, 13**__**th**__** November, 2018 – 11:12**_

_**From: **__Kurt Hummel (khummel )_

_**To:**__ Blaine Anderson (bdevon_anderson )_

_**Subject: **__You're so predictable_

_Yes._

_I'm right here in the room Blaine,_

_K. (A-)H._

_(Please, pretend you didn't hear me squeal, and pretend I'm not near sobbing right now. I still want our future kids to think I'm the cool one in the relationship when we show them these.)_

-x-

Kurt is lazily researching restaurants at the dinner table, next to the couch where Blaine is lounging like a lazy log, when it happens. The ping, and the little notification on the side of his screen. A new e-mail from Blaine. He frowns and glances back with a suspecting smile. Blaine is draped over the couch, in jeans and a ratty old t-shirt, hair a mess, with ear buds in, and his laptop on his stomach, rising and falling in time with his slow breathing. Blaine doesn't so much as stir, which, of course, means absolutely nothing. Blaine always does this – pretend like he doesn't remember what day 13th November is for them, and then swoop in with a surprise that leaves Kurt breathless.

Kurt had been trying to play his game this year. He was going to make reservations for the best restaurant he could find, and get them the best suite at some fancy hotel, and expensive champagne, the exact brand Blaine used to buy when they were just starting out and careful enough with their money that slightly above average champagne was the one indulgence they allowed themselves.

But now there was a new e-mail in his inbox and he had a feeling Blaine was just about to outdo him, as usual.

Kurt holds his breath and clicks on the notification, opening up the e-mail. He can't help gasping as he reads the second line. He doesn't catch his squeal in time, but he manages to keep it short.

_Of course_.

He glances back towards Blaine, who's in the exact same position, but his breathing has stopped and his fingers aren't moving over the keyboard anymore.

Ignoring the lump in his throat, his speeding heart, or his shaking hands, his need to get up and yank Blaine's laptop away before throwing himself on top of him, Kurt clicks reply, and makes sure to keep it short and concise. He hits send, discreetly wiping away a stray tear, and then distracts himself by opening the attached image of the ring. It's not what he'd expect of an engagement ring. This is gold, and simple, like a wedding ring, and he realizes he's seen it before, in Blaine's hand, late at night, nearly four years ago.

He's yanked out of his thoughts as, seemingly out of nowhere, Blaine's lips are on his neck, and warm, strong arms wrap closely around him from behind. He turns so that he can capture Blaine's lips in his and they kiss for a long time.

When they resurface for air Blaine grins.

"You just couldn't let me surprise you this year, could you?" Kurt murmurs, but he clings to Blaine's T-shirt and keeps him close.

"I guess I like surprising you more." He answers calmly, "Besides, it was getting ridiculous. I knew I wanted to marry you six months into our relationship, I have no idea why we waited all these years to make that official."

Kurt smiles and kisses him again, "Something about getting everything else sorted out first…" he points out. Indeed, the reason Kurt himself hadn't asked was simply because the last couple of years had been a little crazy with his job starting up, and Blaine's career too. He didn't want a five-year engagement where he was stuck in New York slowly planning everything alone, while Blaine was either away on tour or busy in the studio, unable to participate in the way they both wanted him to. And it's not even like Kurt had that much free time either, as it was. Now that things had eased up for him and Blaine had decided to slow down, Kurt reasons, it makes sense.

Blaine grins and kisses him again. It wasn't less than four months ago when Blaine got home from his last tour and said he was stopping for a while – not necessarily disappearing off the map, but just taking things at a slower pace. Writing his songs at his own pace, taking less and smaller tours, making his own deadlines. Kurt knew, it'd been wearing him off in more ways than one and he wasn't surprised when Blaine said he just wanted to calm down and be an adult with a normal life for once.

It hasn't been as difficult as they'd thought, and Blaine still has his fans and megastar status, his numerous gigs in New York, and he's still working on songs, most for himself, others for other artists, and he's still giving interviews here and there, and sometimes they sill have to deal with the paparazzi, but now he's home.

Most of the time, he's_ home_.

"Should we adjourn to the bedroom for a little celebration?" Kurt murmurs against Blaine's lips as he buries his fingers in his hair.

"Just a sec, I need to give you something." Blaine says dropping to one knee with a smirk and pulling something out of his pocket. When he opens his palm the same ring from the photo and the night four years ago is right there, "This is… was my father's wedding ring, for the first twenty five years of my parents' marriage. He gave it to me when we first started dating. He said it wasn't necessarily about you, but I think he knew you were it for me, so…" he shrugs a little nervously, "But anyway, he gave it to me and told me to use it whatever way I saw fit, and I… well, I want it to be my something borrowed, I want it to be my wedding ring, because, well, besides you, my parents were the ones that taught me most about love and respect, and relationships, and the kind of marriage I hope to have with you."

"Okay…" Kurt says, suddenly confused.

"But in the meantime…" Blaine smiles, "Maybe you could keep it safe for me?"

"Oh! Oh, Blaine, I…" Kurt can't find the words to express how happy this makes him feel. It's not just an engagement ring, it's something much, much better.

"Here, try it on, I'm not too sure…"

Kurt lets Blaine slide it on his finger but it stops halfway down, "Guess it doesn't fit. Chubby fingers…"

"Not at all." Blaine chuckles, "You have bigger hands. It's great. I love it. I_ love _your fingers."

"Blaine," Kurt warns him, even though he can't help laughing, "This is supposed to be a sweet and romantic moment, not the place for dirty thoughts…"

"But I think it's sweet and romantic when your fingers are up my a-"

Kurt shuts him up with another kiss, and Blaine goes willingly as Kurt moves them backwards towards the couch. They lay down, slowly progressing from kissing to something a little more – bodies that know each other like themselves, bodies that fit perfectly together after nearly five years of loving and making love.

"Wait, wait, wait…" Blaine gasps yanking his lips off Kurt's and laughing, "You're distracting me, I need – I had something else. In case it didn't fit. Plan B." he gets out slightly breathless, as he digs awkwardly around his pocket and pulls out a beautifully thin and delicate silver chain, "May I have the ring?" he says, and Kurt hands it to him, watches as Blaine slides it on the chain, and then reaches up to clasp it around Kurt's neck, "There you go, properly engaged." He grins.

Kurt shivers as the silver drags slightly over his skin when he moves, leaning down to kiss Blaine. He beams and dissolves into his fiancé's arms.

"I love you, Blaine Anderson." Kurt whispers into his lips.

"Good to know." Blaine grins into their kiss and holds Kurt tighter, "I love you."

They never adjourn anything to the bedroom, because they make love right there on that couch, and between their bodies and their words, it's like they could never stop telling each other just how much love there was between them, in that moment and forever.

"What do you want to do, today?" Kurt asks as he presses soft lazy kisses to Blaine's collar bone, "I was going to get reservations at a fancy restaurant, but I just remembered I can't have the pleasure of watching you come undone in the middle of a fancy restaurant."

Blaine chuckles, "I don't mind staying in, at all. That's the point, isn't it? This is it. I want this forever…"

"Okay!"

"_But_…" Blaine adds with a grin, "We need champagne. For purposes. Celebratory purposes."

"You didn't buy it? You knew you were going to propose and you didn't buy it already?!" Kurt gasps.

"I didn't want you finding the bottle! It would ruin the surprise." Blaine shrugs and Kurt has to agree he makes a valid point, but he also almost wants to point out Blaine's kept the ring in his bedside table drawer for four years now – _because that wasn't suspicious at all_… "So what do you say, we get cleaned, and dressed, and we go out to get us a nice bottle of champagne, maybe take a good walk in the park, make whatever calls we have to make, before we come back here, turn off every mean available for outside contact and just… celebrate?" he finishes with a smirk.

"You're very smart, Bee."

"I am." He nods with a laugh, before he grunts and gracelessly slides off, from beneath Kurt, and stands, "In the meantime, the shower awaits us. Maybe at the same time… who knows?!" his voice trails off as he jogs over.

"I'll be there in a minute!" Kurt calls after him, before he finds his phone, and wraps a blanket around himself while dialing.

It rings three times before Burt Hummel's voice comes, "Hey, Kurt, what's up?"

"Hey dad, how are you?"

"I'm good, I'm good. I'm goi-"

"I need to ask you something." Kurt bites his lip as he plays nervously with the ring hanging off his neck.

"Oh! Sure. Shoot."

"Do you… Do you still have mom's wedding ring, or did…?"

There's a small stretch of silence on the other end of the line before Burt's confused voice comes through, "I have it…"

"Do you think I could have it? For… for me? For when I…"

"Kurt?"

"Blaine proposed." Kurt murmurs, not fighting the smile that accompanies those words.

"What?!"

"Yeah, we're getting married." Kurt laughs, "It_ just_ happened. And he has his father's old wedding ring, and he wants it to be his wedding ring, and that made me… miss her. And, I don't know, I think it'd be a good way to honor mom and to make her a part of something I know she'd be so happy about."

"Holy… God, Kurt… I… Yeah, of course! I… I couldn't think of a better use for the ring. I hate that it's just sitting in that box gathering dust, and if it's going to be given a second life… hell, I'd love that."

"Okay. Good." Kurt breathes, bittersweet tears suddenly making their way down his cheeks.

"And she would. She'd be happy." Burt adds after a moment of silence, "She'd be very proud of you, and of this."

"She'd love him too, right?"

"Without a doubt." Burt says immediately, "And your brother, too. He'd like Blaine. They would both be so happy for you. I wish they could be here today."

"I wish they could be here every day." Kurt sniffs.

"Yeah…"

"I… I gotta go. I'll talk to you later, then." He sighs, "I love you, dad."

"Love you too, kid."

Kurt disconnects the call and takes five deep breaths before making his way to the bathroom.

Blaine's arching his body, gorgeous under the shower, hands buried in his hair, massaging the shampoo in. Kurt drops the blanket and joins him quietly.

As his hands wrap around Blaine's waist and he turns around to meet him Blaine greets him with a smile, and then a frown, "Kurt? What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Kurt shakes his head, and lets Blaine wipe away his tears, "It's just… remember when I told you I wished I believed in Heaven, so that I knew my mom and my brother were together, knowing I was happy and well…?"

"Yeah…" Blaine murmurs, understanding dawning immediately on his face, as he shuffles closer, and rests a solid hand on Kurt's chest, right above his heart.

"I've never wished harder for that." He sighs, and lets Blaine pull him in close.

-x-

"Hey, mom." Blaine says as they sit on a bench, the park around them quiet and mostly still on a Thursday afternoon. Kurt has an open Champagne bottle in his hands, and another one in a bag. Blaine's holding the phone between them, on speaker, "Everything good?"

"Yes, everything's good, Blaine. How are you?"

"Great. Listen, you wouldn't be close to dad, would you?"

"As a matter of fact, let me just get him – JOOOOHN!" Kurt bites his lip, and Blaine rolls his eyes.

"And this is when she doesn't know she's on speaker… I swear to god, she wants to kill my eardrums." He mutters while they wait, and Kurt gives him a smile and a kiss on the closest ear.

"Your father is here, shall I pass the phone?"

"No, no, just put it on speaker." Blaine says.

"Oh, okay!" she shuffles, it takes a little too long, "Done, done!"

"Good, you're on speaker, too!" Blaine informs them.

"Hey guys!" Kurt greets.

"Oh, hi Kurt! Sweetie!"

"So, listen guys, we got some news for you." Blaine starts, already grinning from ear to ear, "We're, hm, we're engaged!"

"We're getting married!" Kurt adds immediately.

"What!" Claire squeals.

"Blaine proposed!" Kurt laughs, "I said yes! We're engaged!"

"Oh my god!" she squeals again.

"Congratulations, boys." Comes John's amused, but significantly calmer voice, "I was getting impatient."

"Blaine! Oh my god, I'm so excited! I'm so happy!"

"Yeah, we're pretty stoked, too." Blaine chuckles.

"You kids need to get on a plane _right now_! That's the kind of news you give in person, you silly heads! I can't hug you over the phone. Anyway, have you any ideas for dates, yet? Because you know I always think Spring-"

"Mom." Blaine interrupts, "I literally just proposed. Like _hours_ ago or something. Do you really think we've had time to _discuss dates_, yet?"

"Blaine, that's not the kind of innuendo you make to your parents." Claire gasps, clearly pretending to be outraged.

Blaine groans and Kurt tries in vain not to blush, "It wasn't really an innuendo until you made it one." Blaine points out.

"Besides, honey, it's not like you were any different when_ I_ proposed."

"Ohh! Gross, dad!"

-x-

It's a tiny, adorable voice who picks up, "'E'oo!"

"Ally!" Kurt grins, "Hi, what's up? How you doing?"

"Okay!" she chirps happily, "'Ow you?"

"We're okay, too!" Blaine tells her, "Are your parents around? Could you give the phone to one of them?"

"Okay…" she sighs, significantly less excited about the prospect. They hear her little feet pad across the floor and then she says, "Mommy, is Bee and Kuh'!"

There's shuffling and then Tina's voice, "You're not calling to say you can't babysit her tomorrow, are you? Cuz I swear I really need to got to that function, it's not just "adult time" or whatever, it's a necessity. And I need Mike there, too, and I don't think I ca-"

"Tina!" Kurt cuts her off with a laugh, "It's not about that. Babysitting still happening."

"Yeah," Blaine agrees, "Absolutely. My nail polish is completely chipped off; I need Ally's saloon like ASAP. Tell her to get the pink ready, cuz I'm feeling festive!"

"What Bee means to say is that we got news. Is Mike around? Can you put us on speaker?"

"Uhhh, excitement!" Tina breathes, and then there's more steps and shuffling, "Sweetie, come here." And then, "Okay, Mike's here, you're on speaker."

Blaine glances at Kurt and gives him a little nod. Kurt grins and takes a deep breath, "We're engaged!"

There's a burst of sound from the other end of the line. It's possibly Tina squealing, and Ally joining in mostly out of contagious excitement rather than understanding of the news, "That is the coolest news!" Mike's voice makes itself audible amidst high-pitched sounds and gibberish, "Congrats, guys!"

"Thank you!"

"When's the magic day?!" Tina gasps.

"Why does everyone keep asking us the date! We_ just_ got engaged, there hasn't been any planning done yet!"

"I hear you! Today is for celebrating!" Mike offers, and it's like they can see him wink.

"Ce'ebading wha'?" Ally's voice cuts in.

"Bee and Kurt are getting married, Ally. Like mommy and daddy." Tina explains.

"With the big dwess and all the people?"

Blaine laughs, "Minus the big dress!"

"We'll tell you all about it tomorrow, sweatpea!" Kurt adds cheerfully.

"Okay!" She agrees easily.

"Anyway, we gotta go and make some other calls. Spread the news and everything. We'll see you guys tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah, sure! Can't wait to give you hug!" Tina gushes.

"Congrats again, guys."

"Thanks!" Kurt grins.

"Bye!" Ally pitches in excitedly.

"See you later, Ally-gator!" Blaine laughs their signature goodbye.

"Afteh a whi'e cocodie!"

-x-

"Hey, hey, hey!" Cooper picks up on the second ring, "Make it fast little bro. I got business to attend to."

"So…" Blaine bites his lip, beaming and blushing before he says, "How would you like to be my best man?"

"Excuse me?!"

"Better start working on that speech man, cuz ain't no way it's gonna be better than mine."

"What?!"

"Your brother proposed." Kurt cuts in, elbowing Blaine and rolling his eyes, "We're engaged!"

"Seriously?!"

"Yeah!" Kurt breathes, laughter coming too easy.

"Oh my god! Finally!"

"I know right?!" Blaine gasps and bursts out laughing as well.

"YES! Yes! Little bro, you're going to have the best bachelor party there ever was, I promise you that, and I'm gon-"

Kurt clears his throat, "Excuse you? Blaine's going to have a perfectly uneventful bachelor party and be fully operational and awake come the morning of his wedding."

"Ahhh, and so it starts, the whipping."

"Shut up, Cooper." Blaine rolls his eyes, "Anyway, we'll call you with more details soon enough. But you're on duty!"

-x-

"Rachel!" Kurt gasps, "Guess what?"

"What?"

"I'm going to make you wear a horrible dress!"

"What?!"

"I'm kidding, but you are going to be one of our bridesmaids."

"_What?!_"

"We're getting married, Rach."

"WHAT?!"

"Yeah…" he sighs, grinning.

"Hi Rachel! How are you?" Blaine laughs.

"What?! KURT! Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, tell me everything? Who proposed, how, when, where!"

-x-

"Wes Montgomery speaking, how may I help you?"

"Wes," Blaine starts slowly, "do you remember that time you said you should have veto power over decisions relating to my love life?"

"Of course." There's a shrug in his tone.

"You should know you're on speaker, by the way." Kurt adds, "Before you start saying something about vetoing me…"

Wes chuckles, "I fully supported your relationship from the start, Kurt." He says in his faux formal tone, "I was always very impressed with your potential. You needn't worry. The only thing I veto'ed about you two was when Blaine was drunk on that first New Year's Eve when you were still in Paris and looking everywhere for his laptop because he wanted to e-mail you a poem he wrote about you. It was very bad poem. I saved your budding romance, probably."

"Right," Blaine cuts in, "that's not what we're calling about. Here's your last opportunity to veto something on my love life."

"I support it." Wes nods.

"We haven't even told you what it is!"

"If it's you two, I'll support it."

"What if I was asking your opinion on us maybe breaking up and taking some time apart?"

"That'd be stupid." Wes says simply, "But I'd support it if it the long term it meant you got back together."

"Ugh, okay, no, just don't. Don't support things like that! You're supposed to keep me from making bad decisions!"

"Okay, right. So I will never let you break up. You got my word. What else? What's this decision you want my support for?"

"Marriage."

There's a moment of silence, "Huh." Another moment, as Wes pretends to consider the news, "Interesting prospect. I don't see why not. Worth investing, I'd say."

"Okay, cool." Blaine nods, managing to hold his chuckles back, unlike Kurt, "I'm glad we talked, then. We'll let you get back to whatever it is that you do. We just wanted to be sure."

Wes chortles and then takes a deep breath, "This is for real, right?" he asks.

"Yes, of course."

Wes sighs deeply and then laughs, "Great, I'm… I'm very happy for you both! Congratulations!"

"Thanks!"

-x-

**Tumblr.**

**November 13****th****, 18:54**

beee-lovely:

(_Kind of crappy picture of Blaine and Kurt on a Central Park bench, all coated up, with scarves up to their noses, smiling down at a phone Blaine's holding. Kurt has a green glass bottle in his hand, with a shiny golden aluminum label_)

So I was walking down Central Park, minding my own business and guess who I saw? Bee and the bae! Oh my god, they are so pretty! I wasn't very close and you guys all know how much of a chicken shit I am, and I just couldn't make myself go up to them for a pic or anything, so here you go… a blurry pic taken from like a million miles away! SO they were there forever and just talking on the phone (that's what Blaine's holding between them) and drinking something *directly from the bottle you guys hot hot hot*, I think it was champagne, and just really happy. They're really just so cute! They kissed like a HUNDRED times! There are no words! I've been blessed with witnessing true love happening a few yards away from me and my lousy baloney sandwich.

**45 minutes later, ****the-one-time**** reblogged this and added:**

Blaine and Kurt drinking champagne in the middle of the day? Making phone calls? Happy and in love? Let the speculation begin!

(and the fics, give me all the fics, please)

**2 hours later,**** blaineplustaylor**** reblogged this and added:**

you mean to tell there's reasonable reason to believe our little bee's engaged?!

(_Tagged #Oh my god #this is surreal! #they're so perf and in love #take that haters! #haters gonna hate hate hate! #please tell me Taylor's gonna be singing at their wedding like the perf godmother she is!_)

**20 minutes later, ****blaylor**** reblogged this and added:**

I don't know. There were already so many times we thought they were engaged, I'm not getting my hopes up. I've given into the dark hole of thinking maybe they're just one of those couples that say "oh, marriage just isn't our thing" or whatever.

**42 minutes later, ****blainetimberlake**** reblogged this and added:**

Never go into the dark hole, sweetie! It's juts not true! This time it's got to be for real! Champagne, Central Park, happy, phone calls… it all sounds so promising! If not marriage than something else big!

(289 notes)

**November 14****th****, 15:39**

gayasadiamondstuddedrainbow:

In honor of the engagement rumors I've prepared a playlist for celebration when the inevitable confirmation comes:

1 – _The One Time (Kurt's Song)_. Need I explain, guys, need I?

2 – Just The Way You Are, Billy Joel. I still think it's unfair we don't have a proper cover of this song. It was so mean of him to mention it was_ their_ song, and then not cover it ever!

3 – _Perfect_, KURT AND BLAINE'S cover! God bless the Trevor Project for giving us this amazing gem of perfection! It does really get better! I still can't believe they actually did the Rap part of the song, and it was SO stupid, but so good!

4 – _In Your Hands_, are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?! This song is what love is made of!

5 – _What They Don't Know_, Blaine and TSwift is just… I still think this is their best collab, and it's the biggest fuck you to the media and the rumors they keep bringing up about either of them and their relationships!

6 – _All of Me_, Blaine's cover. Remember those first VMA's way back when? Remember when they cut to Kurt's face in the audience? REMEMBER?!

7 – _Is it Weird?_, speaking of first VMA's…. You thought I was gonna forget his first hit single?! I'm still not over how he segued so perfectly from All of Me to this…

8 – _Between The Lines_, you just know, you just_ know_ this song is about the starts of it all! Just imagine them all cutesy shy, trying not to give away feelings, but kind of hinting at it, and… ugh! All doe-eyes and blushing smiles…Too cute!

9 – _Hit and Miss_. I'll admit, I'm not a fan of JT, but this collab is a good one. And anything that has Blaine's voice in it, I just can't help myself. Besides I remember him saying it was one of his biggest dreams, so you gotta celebrate that shit! Bee getting his dreams come true!

10 – _The Innuendo Song_, sometimes I still can't believe they put this on an album. An entire song of innuendos about tongues and blowjobs. Fuck my life.

11 – _Doesn't Mean Anything_, Blaine's cover. Raise your hand if you didn't cry when that was the absolute last song he sang on his last tour. *no hands*. that's right. Thank god he changed the lyrics, because I would've had a heart attack if I actually thought they'd broken up. Also, the real reason I think they are engaged! You can't tell me he didn't sing this and fly straight home to go ring shopping.

12 – _Feeling Fire_. Their sex must be so hot.

(listen), (download)

**3 minutes later, ****blainehummel**** reblogged this and added:**

This is so perfect! The perfect summary of their love!

Sometimes I just have to stop and pity the people whose fav bae isn't Blaine! What does it feel like wondering who those love songs are about? I wouldn't know!

Honestly, we've seen him come so far – from Youtube videos, to opening for Taylor Swift's 2016 world tour, to having his own world tour, and all kinds of stupid awards… but is it weird that this is what I'm most happy about? I just feel so proud of him, for getting his true love and knowing how to hang on to it!

(374 notes)

**November 15****th****, 15:07**

blaineandersonnews:

(_pictures of Blaine and Kurt walking through the LGA and going through security_)

Blaine Anderson and Kurt Hummel, at the LaGuardia airport, Nov. 15, 2018.

**5 minutes later ****beeperfection**** reblogged this and added:**

GUYS GUYS GUYS! The picture where Kurt's bending over to take his shoes off! THAT'S A RING HANGING OFF HIS NECK, RIGHT? RIGHT? RIGHT?

**1 minute later ****the-one-time**** reblogged this and added:**

So can we assume it's official? Can we say they really are engaged?!

**2 minutes later ****blainehummel**** reblogged this and added:**

I'm crying right now. I'm ugly crying. I need tissues! Bring me tissues, godammit! They look so happy in all of them! And the ring! THE RING! That's definitely a ring!

**4 minutes later ****luckystar**** reblogged this and added:**

They probably thought they were being so sneaky... wearing the ring on a necklace! Get us looking at their fingers, thinking we wouldn't see it. HA! Think twice, you dumb dumbs!

(998 notes)

**November 20****th****, 17:09**

blaineandersonnews:

Picture of a twitter/instagram post:

_ Bee_Is_Abuzz: A thousand songs written about it, and maybe The Beatles said it best - All You Need Is Love! /p/…_

Photo Link_: (two simple, gold wedding rings on silver chains hanging off a Champagne bottle.)_

(2 hours later: 3985 notes)

**November 21****st****, 12:03**

blaineandersonnews:

Picture of a twitter conversation:

_Yes, that was my way of confirming KHusedtobemysignature and I are engaged! ;) Thank you for all your support! We're couldn't possibly be happier! #confusioncleared_

_KHusedtobemysignature: Bee_Is_Abuzz, No, you can't be our wedding singer, Bee! Just step away from the stage… slowly. You can do this._

_Bee_Is_Abuzz: KHusedtobemysignature, why are you tweeting me? I'm right here in the room. #nowwhosthedumbone?_

_KHusedtobemysignature: Bee_Is_Abuzz #stickingyourtongueoutisnotattractive_

_Bee_Is_Abuzz: KHusedtobemysignature, #thatsNOTwhatyousaid_

_KHusedtobemysignature: Bee_Is_Abuzz BLAINE ANDERSON_

_Bee_Is_Abuzz: KHusedtobemysignature You just make it so easy… #turnoffthephonetho_

**2 minutes later, ****isitweird-nonotatall**** reblogged this and added:**

I'm dead. I'm just. I'm dead.

(2376 notes)

_(A.N.: Good time as any to remind you I'm not against taking prompts. My tumblr is a-simple-rainbow if you wanna come talk to me or whatever. In the meantime, thank you to everyone who's been reading, appreciating, favoriting and reviewing this fic! It means a lot to me, so, really, Thank You.)_


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